WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.919 Greetings in the precious name of Jesus this morning. It's 2 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:11.880 privileged to be here. I have been blessed and the 3 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:17.800 singing and the devotional Sunday school this morning. It's also 4 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:23.120 I too want to welcome the CBS students here for 5 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:28.760 the reunion and other visitors as well. But it's it 6 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:34.600 feels special to me to be able to have close 7 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:37.000 to half or maybe a little over half of the 8 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.600 student body from this year here this weekend to share 9 00:00:41.479 --> 00:00:44.560 in our home and here in our home church this morning. 10 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:48.119 And I'm sorry you have to hear from me again, 11 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:53.560 but it's my turn to share the message this morning. 12 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:59.280 So welcome you and welcome each one. Open your bibles. 13 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:03.759 A Palm night Team is a very familiar Psalm, and 14 00:01:10.359 --> 00:01:13.519 it's probably as you think about Psalm nineteen or when 15 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:19.280 those you Bible scholars, you probably don't necessarily think of 16 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:26.840 the verse that I'm or especially the phrase that I'm 17 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:31.000 going to focus on this morning, because I'm going clear 18 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:36.079 to the last verse. So the first part of Psalm 19 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:40.959 talks about worshiping or praising God and creation. It talks 20 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:42.959 about God's word. We're going to look at that a 21 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:46.680 little more. But the last verse is, Let the words 22 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:49.120 of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be 23 00:01:49.239 --> 00:01:53.879 acceptable in my sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. 24 00:01:55.400 --> 00:02:03.040 And the phrase the phrase I had that I guess 25 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:06.079 I've been meditating on. You're going to hear some of 26 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:10.520 my thoughts this morning are the meditation of my heart. 27 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:16.319 And the title of my message is acceptable meditation of 28 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:20.199 my heart. Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable 29 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:24.159 to you in my sight, O Lord, my strength and 30 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:33.560 my Redeemer. So I believe to get this in context, 31 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:37.159 we are going to read this Psalm together, So I'll 32 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:40.759 read it now. Psalm nineteen, verse one. The heavens declare 33 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:43.479 the glory of God and the Firmanent showeth his handiwork 34 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:46.520 day and today utter a speech, and night unto night 35 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:51.240 showeth knowledge. There is no speech, no language where their 36 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.120 voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through 37 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:56.680 all the earth, and their words to the end of 38 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:01.199 the world. In them hath he said a tabernacle for 39 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:04.759 the sun, which is as a bridegroom, cometh out of 40 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:07.520 his chamber and rejoiceth as a strong man to run 41 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.039 a race. His going forth is from the end of 42 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.039 the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, 43 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.199 and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof the 44 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.719 law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The 45 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:21.759 testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 46 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:25.039 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. 47 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.639 The commandment of the Lord is pure and lightening the eyes. 48 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:32.360 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The 49 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:36.120 judgment of the Lord. That excuse me, The judgments of 50 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:39.960 the Lord are true and righteous. Altogether more to be 51 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:42.719 desired are they than gold. Gave them much fine gold, 52 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:46.719 sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. Moreover by them 53 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:49.439 is thy servant worn, and in keeping of them there 54 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.400 is great reward. Who can understand his errors. Cleanse thou 55 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:57.759 me from secret faults, Keep back thy servant also from 56 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:01.360 presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then 57 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:04.560 shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from 58 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:08.439 the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and 59 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.439 the meditation of my heart be acceptable in my sight, 60 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:19.040 O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. So Verse one 61 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:26.600 through six is God's declaration through through creation. It says, 62 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:31.600 the heavens declare the glory of God. It's it's God's message. 63 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:42.000 His creation is his message to to mankind especially, and 64 00:04:42.040 --> 00:04:47.519 his permanent showeth his handiwork. It's a demonstration and it's 65 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:50.839 it's part of the of the Word of God is 66 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:58.639 his creation and the mighty work he has he has done. 67 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:03.000 And it says it says that in verse three that 68 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:05.360 there is no speech or language where their voice is 69 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:09.439 not heard. It doesn't need a translator. Now, I've spent 70 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:15.560 some time in some countries, different countries the last while 71 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:20.879 I didn't know the native language, and even in England. 72 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:27.439 It's a little rough sometimes because it's enough different. But 73 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:34.360 saying in God's in God's Declaration of Creation, there is 74 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:41.519 no interpreter needed, there's no translation needed. It's like sometimes 75 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:44.279 it said that a smile is something that can be 76 00:05:44.360 --> 00:05:48.399 spoken in any language. It's just an example. It's something 77 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:52.040 that what it does, what it translates to people, and 78 00:05:52.079 --> 00:06:05.800 then it goes on and gives an example. He's not 79 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:09.000 this isn't like he's not doing an exhaustive example of 80 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.720 God's creation. You can see more of that in more places, 81 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:17.560 especially if you go into job. There's chapters of questions 82 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:23.360 and questions about considering the God's creation and we could 83 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:27.360 go there and consider God's word in creation this morning. 84 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:36.079 But the Psalmists here almost David, I believe, chose one, 85 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:42.959 one object lesson and he chose the sun. And it 86 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.720 says he his lines has gone out through all the earth, 87 00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:49.720 and there and their words the end of the world 88 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:53.920 in them, in God's words, and all encompassing the one 89 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:58.199 that inhabits eternity. He made a tabernacle for the sun, 90 00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:01.959 which means he made a tent or a resting place. 91 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.800 He made a place for the sun. And I don't 92 00:07:06.839 --> 00:07:09.160 know about you, but when I think of the sun, 93 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:14.959 I think of it as the most obvious, most uncontrollable 94 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:26.560 piece of our cosmos. It's close, and when it's out 95 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:32.120 shining on us in the heat, it seems like is 96 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.759 we feel that force well as we know we're protected 97 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:41.040 by the atmosphere, and it's much stronger than that. But 98 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.120 God made a place for it, and he did that 99 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:49.040 with his word. And he not only made a place 100 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:51.480 where he says, it's like a bridegroom that comes out 101 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:55.759 of the chamber marching fourth and rejoices as a strong 102 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:58.160 man to run a race. And it runs its course. 103 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:08.680 And I believe it's just another one of those things 104 00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:12.680 that every day is a miracle, and as the sun 105 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:16.920 comes up and goes down, but it's very predictable, and 106 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:20.879 its course is very set, and we some of those 107 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:26.720 some of those miracles become so so normal to us 108 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:34.759 that we just forget how amazing it is. And then 109 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.679 going on to verse six, So but his going forces 110 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:40.200 from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto 111 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:42.399 the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from 112 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:48.480 the heat thereof that circuit is set. And God set 113 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:52.039 that circuit. He not only made the place for it, 114 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:59.559 he confines it for us, and that is another part 115 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:08.000 of his of his power. It's just that this is 116 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:12.720 just one example, and every example in creation is another 117 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:19.279 part of God's majesty, and the majesty that God communicates 118 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:22.360 to us and declares to those of us who are 119 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:29.080 in it. We sang this morning. That song is number fourteen. 120 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.200 I don't remember the title right now, but the verse 121 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.919 on top was Asalm one hundred and fifty, verse six, 122 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.879 Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Let everything 123 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:43.759 that hath breath praise the Lord. And you know, I 124 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:48.559 believe that humans are the only ones that fall short sometimes, 125 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:56.759 and that's our responsibility too. Because God has spoken, God 126 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:00.600 has declared his majesty. It is our response ability to 127 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:09.120 respond to it. Going on then verses seven to eleven, 128 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:12.720 and eleven is sort of transitional. Talks about the law 129 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:16.159 or the Word of God. Talks about the law of 130 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:19.120 the Lord, the testimonies of the Lord, the commandments of 131 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:21.759 the Lord, the fear of the Lord, fear of God, 132 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:31.840 judgments of the Lord. And it seems like as David 133 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:34.480 is writing, is and when he says the law of 134 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:38.000 the Lord is perfect converting the soul, it seems like, 135 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:40.960 especially if you're take in the context as he keeps going, 136 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:47.440 that he's not just talking about the Pentituk or the 137 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:50.000 Torah or the first five books of the Bible as 138 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.919 the law that was defined as the law. But it 139 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:56.679 seems like he's encompassing more of the Word of the Lord. 140 00:10:57.639 --> 00:11:09.519 And he says, and what's interesting here, And I believe 141 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:13.159 that Psalm nineteen probably contains many of our if we 142 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:16.480 have favorite verse or favorite verses, many of them be 143 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:19.559 contained in it. Probably many of us have memorized much 144 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:23.000 of this. But this is a beautiful picture of the 145 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:25.840 Word of God. What it is and what it does. 146 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:31.159 And remember, the word of God isn't there just to 147 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:36.639 be there. Of course, in some of these things we 148 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:39.200 start talking thinking about and we can't wrap our mind 149 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:41.440 around them, and so we should probably stop before we start, 150 00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:44.320 because what was the word of God liked before creation? 151 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:47.960 Before God created in his word? What was his word? 152 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:51.720 But we don't know that. We don't know how to 153 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:54.799 live without time either. That we are in time, and 154 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:58.759 we are in the time of God's word to mankind. 155 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:01.759 And so that's what we're considering, and that's what the 156 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.440 Psalmist was considering here this morning. And so God not 157 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:08.720 only declares himself through creation, he declares himself through his word, 158 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:18.559 through his written word, and through his spirit. But it's 159 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:22.279 also it's not just declaring, it's declaring for a purpose. 160 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:28.559 And that's what these verses bring out. It's perfect. The 161 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.840 law of the Lord's perfect. It converts the soul, it 162 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:39.240 changes people. The testimony of the Lord is sure making 163 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:52.679 why is the simple? And we know the verse The 164 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:56.639 fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And 165 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:59.279 I think all of us have this innate desire to 166 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:05.279 be wise. We want to be wiser, But do we 167 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:09.159 remember that the source of wisdom really comes from God, 168 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:13.000 from God's word, and it makes wise the simple. And 169 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:17.919 he I believe, just as John the Baptist, Jesus said, 170 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:20.759 who went you out to see him in the camel's hair, 171 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:24.639 the one that was simple? And I believe that God 172 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:35.440 reaches the simple and those that are trusting with simple 173 00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:42.000 trust in Him rather than those with worldly wisdom many times. 174 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:48.639 And of course we know He has ways of appealing 175 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:54.480 to those with worldly wisdom as well. We shouldn't limit God. 176 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:04.039 It's verse eight. The statues of the Lord are right, 177 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:09.759 right or their truth rejoicing the heart. You think about, 178 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:15.639 at least for me. Some one of the conundrums of 179 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:22.480 life is when it is the unknown, and it's the unknown, 180 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:25.679 whether it's a decision, it's an unknown what lies beyond, 181 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:30.960 sometimes further than we can see. But one thing that 182 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:38.600 happens is when we stick with truth, we can rejoice. 183 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:43.799 We don't have to have that anxiety. And the statues 184 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:47.759 of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment 185 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:53.000 of the Lord is pure and enlightening the eyes. The 186 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:57.159 fear of the Lord is clean, clean, and it endures forever. 187 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:04.679 It doesn't go away. And the judgments are true and 188 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:07.200 righteous all together. It seems like this is a little 189 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:12.080 maybe emphasizing that thing of God's righteousness is truth. It's 190 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:14.759 something we can we can depend on, we can put 191 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:21.480 our life on it. They're true and righteous all together. 192 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:25.679 They're precious, and it says in verse ten, they're more 193 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:29.399 to be desired than gold, even much fine gold. And 194 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:33.919 I suppose that it's also something that's fairly human in 195 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:37.879 some level. We all have a certain desire for gold, 196 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:41.600 and we know we can have desires for gold that 197 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:47.519 are are not legitimate, are there coveteousness. But we also 198 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:51.000 know that it takes a certain amount of gold or 199 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:56.879 wealth to live. But it says this is more to 200 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:00.360 be desired. And it's sweet, sweeter than the honey in 201 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:07.600 the honeycomb. And those are two beautiful analogies that we 202 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:09.440 think about in the Word of God. And as we 203 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:11.480 think about the Word of God, this verse probably often 204 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.120 comes to mind. That is full of riches and is 205 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:32.200 very sweet. Now, if we know all that, I don't 206 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.200 think I told any of you anything new this morning. 207 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:39.080 If we know that the Word of God is full 208 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:43.120 of riches and very and very sweet, how much time 209 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:52.679 with that knowledge, have you been spending in the word 210 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:59.519 of God? In God's word and meditation? Because remember, God's 211 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:11.519 word isn't just the printed text. Let the words of 212 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:14.200 my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable. 213 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:21.000 And then verse eleven, moreover, in them is thy servant worn, 214 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:29.279 and in keeping of them there is great reward. Let's 215 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:31.400 think of a little bit about the words of God 216 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:38.000 versus the words of my mouth. As we go through 217 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:40.559 the rest of this, it speaks more of our response. 218 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:43.799 So we looked at that at the purpose God's purpose, 219 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:49.279 But what is our response? And that's where I would 220 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:51.400 like to go with the rest of our time this morning, 221 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:55.599 looking at verses eleven to fourteen. But first let's think 222 00:17:55.640 --> 00:18:00.400 a little bit about God's words versus my word or 223 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:05.720 the words of my mouth. And in a way, it 224 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:10.119 feels almost like sacrilege to even try to make comparisons there. 225 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:14.839 But as we mentioned, God's word includes the written word, 226 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:18.480 the Old New Testament, his declaration from his creation, his 227 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:23.000 revelation through his spirit. And I believe that comes to 228 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:28.640 us in times of meditation. What are my words? My 229 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:32.920 words are also the words of my mouth declaration. I 230 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.480 believe they are also what we do. I don't know 231 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:41.599 if we'd necessarily say our creation, we are some of 232 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:46.960 our makers, some of us are doers more, and there's 233 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:56.559 things that represent who we are. Those are declarations words 234 00:18:56.599 --> 00:19:02.119 as well. So it's not only by what we say, 235 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:08.920 but also by our work and our reputation, but God's 236 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:13.160 word and God's world. God's declaration can always be dependent 237 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:18.400 on and by man's word. We should always be suspicious 238 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:29.359 and probably especially with ourselves, especially my own words, we 239 00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:33.920 should hold with a bit of suspicion. We should be honest, 240 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:39.119 kind and edifying in our speech, but we should at 241 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:47.759 least be self aware not only of what we are 242 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:51.160 saying and the facts of what we're saying and making 243 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:55.759 sure it's factual, but the implication and the effects of 244 00:19:55.880 --> 00:20:09.440 the words we say, like depending and especially as we 245 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:16.279 use words part of relationship, part of a society being 246 00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:22.240 social as a sense of humor, right that in conversation, 247 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:31.160 that that happens, And sometimes we need to be aware 248 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:38.480 of who we are because sometimes sometimes our reputation makes 249 00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:50.359 our humor not so funny. Actually, So that's a bit 250 00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:53.720 on words, but I want to focus more on acceptable meditation. 251 00:20:53.799 --> 00:21:03.079 In my heart, acceptable meditation in my heart and the 252 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:06.039 heart and the King James is like what we often 253 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:08.799 think of as the brain or our thinking patterns, the 254 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:11.799 seat of our emotion. It's who we are, not the 255 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:16.680 pumping organ. So just to and I believe that this 256 00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:21.759 is really important, this concept of the meditation of my heart. 257 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:24.319 And I was trying and trying to think of a 258 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:27.119 better analogy, but so we're just gonna use the old 259 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:30.359 trite here it is. And it's like the difference between 260 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:33.319 driving a forward or a Chevy. And I'm not gonna 261 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:36.000 say which is which, but one you just sit in 262 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:38.519 and it's comfortable and it just kind of guides down 263 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:41.799 the road, and the other it's just like you're always 264 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:45.240 pulling it back from the side of the ditch. But 265 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:51.119 that is that's the difference of having meditation of our 266 00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:56.119 heart that's acceptable before God. Is as we go through life, 267 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.640 we're basically we have a focus, we have a goal, 268 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:03.319 and we're said on the course and we can listen 269 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.400 to the birds and maybe some music, can see the 270 00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:12.519 beauty around us. And when we're always pulling ourselves back 271 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:15.000 from the side of the ditch and from the near missus, 272 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:21.440 we miss all that that God has for us to see, 273 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:25.079 and it puts us actually on a course of destruction 274 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:32.920 rather than a course of contributing to the beauty that 275 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:38.160 God of God's creation. Because remember we are also God's 276 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:44.880 creation and a miracle and should be demonstrated. We're declarations 277 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:55.599 of the glory of God. And so that's the reason 278 00:22:55.960 --> 00:23:06.480 I believe this is so important. I had in my 279 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:09.079 note to actually define a better analogy, and I didn't. 280 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:15.160 So there you were, so looking further at this section, 281 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:21.119 it says cleanse thou me from secret faults? See what 282 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:28.160 are secret faults? And in the original actually in different 283 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:32.119 places this concept. In the King James version it actually 284 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:36.519 has just cleansed thu me from secrets, doesn't actually say faults. 285 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:40.680 Other places talk about secret sins. It's there by implication, 286 00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:45.519 and the translators put that there. But there is something 287 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:58.079 pervasively dark about secrets. Now there are certainly a thing 288 00:23:58.279 --> 00:24:05.039 is a discretion, and there's whole industries of illicit, industries 289 00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:09.680 of fraud trying to find your secrets, your social security numbers, 290 00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:12.799 your credit card numbers, and so forth. So that's not 291 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:16.680 what we're talking about, that discretion. It's talking about that. 292 00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:19.519 It's something that I think again, I think we all 293 00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:29.920 know about it, that that natural desire to hide what 294 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:34.200 we really think and who we really are and to 295 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:40.519 present something different. And that just seems like I don't 296 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:43.319 need to explain that to any of us. And it 297 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:52.759 says here to cleanse me from secret faults. And I 298 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:56.440 do think there are things of discretion where we don't 299 00:24:56.480 --> 00:25:01.720 need to. It's not like we need to where everything 300 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:15.480 about us to everyone. But am I hiding secret faults? 301 00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:25.119 Secret faults coming from having secret desires, secret desires that 302 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:37.119 we or would be too ashamed to share with anyone, 303 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:42.720 but we kind of like it. And secret faults are 304 00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:50.039 come from secret desires that then have opportunity. You know, 305 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:53.640 when I walk into my living room at home, there's 306 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:57.640 a chair, and if no one else is in that chair, 307 00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:02.359 that's the chair I just default to. It's my favorite chair. 308 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:06.960 And I suppose a lot of you have the same 309 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:11.640 favorite chair. You understand that that's what I occupy unless 310 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:18.839 it's occupied. I think my brain's a little bit like 311 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:23.119 that as well. It's like when it doesn't have anywhere else, 312 00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:29.759 it just finds that comfortable resting spot, that comfortable chair, 313 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:40.960 the thing it likes it feels good. My whole family 314 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:44.319 knows which chair that I'll default to. You, and maybe 315 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:51.519 even some of you do, but not many people, if 316 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:56.680 anyone really knows where my brain defaults to, and maybe 317 00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:02.200 not even me because I just get so comfortable with 318 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:09.000 it and just let it go there. No one else 319 00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:13.240 knows everything going on in my head or your head. 320 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:17.599 So where does your brain or your heart go to relax? 321 00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:25.960 Where do you default to when you're doom scrolling? When 322 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:29.400 you sit down with nothing specific to do? What do 323 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:33.359 you think about? Back to your secret desires? What are 324 00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:41.200 your dreams for yourself? What would your dreams be if 325 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:45.640 there were no financial barriers? Norman was talking this morning 326 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:51.160 about dreaming about being a couple guys dreaming about being millionaires, 327 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:56.759 and that started out. That didn't start out with that conversation. 328 00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:01.039 Let's started out maybe with too much time on a 329 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:03.279 seat of attractor, thinking about how to not be on 330 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:12.240 a seat of attractor or something like that. I think 331 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:15.400 we need to be aware that these will lead to coveteousness. 332 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:19.720 But finances aren't our only barriers. We need guardrails in 333 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:26.519 our brain, in our meditation to not go beyond moral 334 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:34.000 and ethical barriers we need and we need a check 335 00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:37.240 box that no, this is this isn't going to take 336 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:41.319 me in a good place. And that's part of letting 337 00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:50.319 the my meditation of my heart be an acceptable and 338 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:58.039 got to God. So one three similar thoughts that searched 339 00:28:58.079 --> 00:29:01.079 me on God, and know my heart, try me and 340 00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:03.480 know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked 341 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:07.119 way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 342 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:14.279 Secret sins come from secret desires with opportunity. And there's 343 00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:16.519 the thing of we have we said, well, what's there's 344 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:24.279 the difference of faults and sins, and but but finally, 345 00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:29.079 as we allow it to progress, it will become secret. 346 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:34.279 Faults will become secret sins. So I'm going to not 347 00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:42.160 try to separate that. But I think sometimes there are 348 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:48.200 faults we have that are a secret, maybe even from ourselves, 349 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:53.839 because we have blind spots. At least I do. And 350 00:29:54.440 --> 00:29:58.480 I had an experience this spring that I was working 351 00:29:58.519 --> 00:30:02.920 with a with a business can and he didn't like 352 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:06.599 talking about strengths and weaknesses. You'd talk about strengths and 353 00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:11.960 limiting factors. And we were meeting and I one day 354 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:16.079 I told him it was kay Bill. Next week when 355 00:30:16.119 --> 00:30:21.680 we come and he'd worked with me for at least 356 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:23.759 three or four months by now, so you kind of 357 00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:27.480 knew me some. I said, next week, when you come, 358 00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:32.880 I want we're going to talk about Dan's limiting factors. 359 00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:37.960 And so I invited that, and he told me some 360 00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:42.720 things that I didn't know about myself. And I'll tell 361 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:47.279 you I invited it, and at the same time I 362 00:30:47.319 --> 00:30:53.720 could hardly believe it and kind of resented it. But 363 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:57.240 as time goes on, you realize it's it was true. 364 00:30:57.480 --> 00:31:01.559 And that's where we need. We even need each other 365 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:09.839 to help us know what we're thinking sometimes. And I 366 00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:13.960 guess another thing I would say with that is sometimes 367 00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:18.960 when we think we have a secret, and we let 368 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:22.240 that thing go and go, and I'm not sure at 369 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:25.519 what point there comes a point where it is not 370 00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:29.839 very secret and about and we are not hiding it 371 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:38.640 very well and it is pretty obvious to those around us. 372 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:41.680 And that goes down to the next verse thirteen, Keep 373 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:47.599 back thy servant from presumptuous sins. Presumptuous means at the court, 374 00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:52.240 it just means arrogant or proud, over confident, but also 375 00:31:52.319 --> 00:32:01.359 has the idea of ignoring the consequences either either ignoring 376 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:07.000 the future consequences, or or just not thinking about or 377 00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:10.680 maybe even reasoning with myself that the consequences for some 378 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:15.319 reason don't even apply to me. It becomes presumptuous sin. 379 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:24.200 And it says, keep back your servant from presumptuous sin. 380 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:31.720 And it's a progression here. I believe Romans seventh thirteen says, 381 00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:33.960 but sin that it might this is just the last 382 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:36.240 part of the verse. But sin that it might appear 383 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:39.319 sin working depth in me by that which is good, 384 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:44.160 that sin, by the commandment, might become exceeding sinful. And 385 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:47.599 I think that one thing that can happen in the 386 00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:50.160 meditation of our heart and our thinking, and as we 387 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:58.400 as we Jesus prayed that that that we'd be in 388 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:01.960 the world, but kept from the world while we're in 389 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:05.440 the world, and as we're in the world, I think 390 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:17.720 sometimes as society goes deeper and deeper into debauchery, we 391 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:21.039 are less shocked by it and it feels more normal. 392 00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:31.599 It feels like it's accepted. Not what we do, but yeah, yeah, 393 00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:36.039 we're still friends with people that are engaging in these 394 00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:39.680 sins that at sometimes at some point we would have 395 00:33:42.039 --> 00:33:45.200 instinctively reacted to I think. We need to be cautious 396 00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:49.400 of that and what it does to our thinking. You 397 00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:55.839 need to keep sin exceedingly sinful. So as we see this, 398 00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:59.640 these thinking errors, thinking errors have a progression their secret 399 00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:02.960 thought first, their thoughts, and then if we let them 400 00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:10.599 become secret desires, they become secret sins, presumptuous sins, and 401 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:17.039