Podcasts about your holy one

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬So if you're looking for ultimate security, know that you can't be good enough, successful enough, or amazing enough to earn it for yourself.God alone is the keeper of your soul, and you can be confident in Him. Happy Easter Monday people of God !!

Morning Worship Sermon with Rev. Bud Hance Scripture reference Matthew 12:38-40 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Psalm 16:10 PP 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption

Daily Voice Devotional with Niyi Adekunle Tuesday 15th April His Descent And Ascent 2Jesus didn't just come to earth to save us from sin, He died, descended to the lowest parts of it, to the realm of the dead, and then ascended to the highest place in heaven. And all this, He did this for your sake. When He died, he descended to Hades which is sometime referred to as hell, sheol or the place of the dead.Psalm 16:10 (NKJV), “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”Psalm 16:10 (TPT) puts it this way: “For you will not abandon me to the realm of death, nor will you allow your Faithful One to experience corruption.”According to Scriptures, Sheol, has two parts. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we see this clearly: Lazarus was carried to Abraham's bosom (paradise), while the rich man was in torment (hell). Luk.16:22-23 After His death on the cross, Jesus descended into Sheol to confront the devil and liberate those held captive. This is why Psalm 16:10 says, that “You will not leave my soul in hell, not allow you holy one sees corruption…”. Jesus went to the place of the dead, triumphed over the enemy and released the righteous souls awaiting redemption.This victory has significant meaning for us. It confirms that death and the powers of hell has no dominion over those in Christ. Jesus has already conquered Sheol, stripped the devil of his power, and broken the chains of the grave. Because of this, we now have access to life, freedom, and victory. Always remember this - IN CHRIST, DEATH AND HELL HAS NO POWER OVER YOU!I pray for you today: In every area the enemy seeks to exert the power of Sheol over your life—be it fear, bondage, or oppression—that power be broken in Jesus' Name. Christ has already finished the work for you. Stand in that victory and live free.God bless you, and enjoy your day.

Send us a text““Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.' As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.' For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you: ‘Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.' ” As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭26‬-‭43‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

Send us a text“But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,' God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy. And I will grant wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come. And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord always in my presence; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.' “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭33‬ Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

Acts 2:22-41 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let Your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.' 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”' 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.   Key Words: Attested, Foreknowledge, Raised, Resurrection, Exalted, Lord, Cut, Repent Keystone Verse: He foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ. (Acts 2:31)     Bulletin

John 20:8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. John believed Jesus had risen from the dead, by the sheer force of the evidence, not because he thought he was supposed to. What an incredible event this must have been. There, in the darkness of that tomb, John “saw the light.” Lessons from John 19 and 20:1-8 1.  First of all, faith in Christ is never meant to be a private matter. The regular team—the eleven disciples—have been called off the field, and a number of substitutions have been made (to speak in sports terms). Among these are Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and Mary Magdalene. Who would have expected such folks to play a key role in the burial and resurrection of our Lord? Again, I think their faith is growing. Nicodemus came at night; now he comes at the dawn. When Arimathea went to Pilate, he came out in a big way. it takes courage to come out for Christ I have just a few observations about these secret disciples; they do something very dangerous, very costly and for no personal gain. They risk a great deal. The text says, "For fear of the Jews they kept their faith in secret." They risk a great deal. How often we are like the eleven disciples of our Lord, so frightened and lacking in faith that we do nothing, or like the women in our text who are preoccupied with fears about how we can move a stone. How foolish these fears seem to us, and yet is it not our own fears that keep us from attempting what our Lord has commanded us to do? God provides. God provided. Neither the stone, the seal, nor the soldiers kept Jesus in the tomb—or the disciples out. God always provides for the fulfillment of His promises. He does so by the instruments of His choosing. He does so in His time. The human instruments were those we would not have chosen, people we would never even have considered. God is at Work all the Time God was at work in the hearts of these two men—Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus—and at just the right time, He used them for His glory, and their good. The resurrection is a foundational truth for the Christian. Saving faith is resurrection faith. God always uses just the right instrument to accomplish His purposes in the right way at the right time. It was the turning point for men and women like Joseph, and Nicodemus, and Mary Magdalene, not to mention Peter and John and the other disciples. Devotion and love for Christ is increased when we know our origins. Go back to the ditch from which God pulled you out of." I hope you wonder about this as much as I do, but I wonder, "Why in the world did He save me?" 9. We don't get we are to be living for Him. Your life and mine should be a thank you back to Christ for what He did for us on Calvary and the message of the resurrection is the core of our faith. 10.  When it comes to the most important issue of your eternal soul, what will you pin your hopes on?  And for man to pin his hopes on humanism or agnosticism or some “ism” of “ology” is a fascinating thing.  That something as profound as a resurrection of life from death would keep us from knowing Christ. John's Belief 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. The third word John used “to see” in the past tense, one is in verse five the other in verse six and now he uses a different one and this word is "to put it together" or "to perceive something." So first John takes a glance, blepo; then Peter theorizes and then John, the beloved disciple, perceives. “He's gone. They didn't just take His body; He's gone!” And he believes, John the Gospel writer tells us about John the beloved disciple. It is incredible that some would conclude from this statement that John “believed that Mary was right, and that Jesus' body was gone.” That would be to state the obvious. It seems to me what John wants us to grasp is that while Peter was still pondering the evidence, John had reached his conclusion. John had come to believe that Jesus really had somehow risen from the dead. John “saw” and he “believed.” 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. John commented (v. 9) that even after a long period of teaching by Jesus the disciples still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead (cf. PS's. 16:10-11; 110:1, 4; Isa. 53:11-12).[i] Ps 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Ac 2:25-31; 13:34-35 Mt 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Three years of being with Jesus Christ and umpteen times He told them about His suffering, umpteen times He told them about being delivered over or handed up, umpteen times He told them that He would die on a cross, the Scripture of the Old Testament.  They should have known and we say, "Why didn't they get it?" Have you ever thought that? Are these guys that thick and dull? It's unfair because we know the story far differently than they know it. In fact I think the failure for the disciples to understand is not an indictment about them at all. I think their failure to understand is an illustration of God's grace of their fledgling faith starting to take root. Because he saw it, he theorized and then John believed. I don't think the Gospel is intending us to think, "These idiot disciples." I think he's trying to show us how their faith is growing because what's the purpose of the Gospel of John? That you might believe. And John tells the story so that when we read it we'll believe the story. Many Scriptures that I've given you there you can track down on your own if you wanted to, but I want you to notice the way John writes it. “That He must.”  It's not that Jesus would rise from the dead. Jesus must rise from the dead because if he does not our faith is not only worthless, it's foolishness. It's foolish to call yourself a believer in Christ if Christ did not raise from the dead. Why does John tell us this here and now? I think the reason is very simple, and very important. The disciples were not predisposed to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. It was not something which Jesus suggested to them, so that when His body was found to be missing, they would jump to the conclusion that He had truly been resurrected. John is telling us that he came to believe in the resurrection of Jesus before he even realized that he was supposed to do so. John is telling us here that he became a believer in the resurrection of Jesus before it was understood to be a necessary part of the Christian faith Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. John believed Jesus had risen from the dead, by the sheer force of the evidence, not because he thought he was supposed to. What an incredible event this must have been. There, in the darkness of that tomb, John “saw the light.” 1.  Some lessons. First of all, faith in Christ is never meant to be a private matter. When Joseph and Nicodemus are sort of finding out who Christ is, Nicodemus comes at night in chapter three and in chapter seven he says "Well shouldn't we basically do a fair trial?" And they call him a Galilean in which in our language would be, "You idiot! Of course we don't want a fair trial. We want to kill the guy. What's your point?" And now we find him securing spices. There are a number of things which catch my attention in our text. The first is that there is a clear change of players. The regular team—the eleven disciples—have been called off the field, and a number of substitutions have been made (to speak in sports terms). Among these are Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and Mary Magdalene. Who would have expected such folks to play a key role in the burial and resurrection of our Lord? John tells us that Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple; a crypto disciple. Is he telling us that to sort of criticize these guys? Again, I think their faith is growing. Nicodemus came at night; now he comes at the dawn. When Arimathea went to Pilate, he came out in a big way. it takes courage to come out for Christ Mark says, "He gathered up his courage and went to Pilate to ask for permission to take the body of Jesus." That took a lot of courage. I don't think it was a secret anymore. It would run quickly through the ranks of the Council and the Sanhedrin what Arimathea had done. The same for Nicodemus. In Mark sixteen some versions say, "He boldly went before Pilate." A better rendering is "He gathered up his courage and went to Pilate." I like that. He gathered up his courage because it takes courage to come out for Christ , doesn't it? It doesn't keep a lot of other people from coming out; it seems to keep Christians from coming out. So on the one hand the open disciples who follow Christ have all run away and hidden and the secret disciples are now coming out to bury the body. Isn't that interesting? We think they'd sort of show up and say, "Okay we'll take the body now" but they don't. These three other people we don't know that much about. I have just a few observations about these secret disciples; they do something very dangerous, very costly and for no personal gain. They risk a great deal. The text says, "For fear of the Jews they kept their faith in secret." They risk a great deal. So it's dangerous, and it costs Joseph of Arimathea a lot of money to do this. It was his own crypt; his own tomb and it warranted no personal gain. They weren't going to get anything out of it. In fact they were going to get in trouble most likely, right? I start thinking about their actions I asked myself, "Self, when have you done something that was dangerous, cost you a lot of money and there was no personal gain?" How about you? When have you done something for Christ that involves some danger? I don't mean stupidity danger. That doesn't count. But you've done something that took a risk; you came out for Christ and it was dangerous and it might have taken your money and your time to do it and you would not gain.  How often we are like the eleven disciples of our Lord, so frightened and lacking in faith that we do nothing, or like the women in our text who are preoccupied with fears about how we can move a stone. How foolish these fears seem to us, and yet is it not our own fears that keep us from attempting what our Lord has commanded us to do? There is another lesson to be learned here: God provides. I am reminded of the story of Abraham, when he took his son Isaac up Mount Moriah to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Isaac asked his father where the animal to be sacrificed was, and Abraham assured him that the Lord would provide the sacrifice. And God did provide. Our text is another demonstration of God's faithful provision of all that He has purposed and promised. He provided a rich man's burial for Jesus, who should have been buried on “boot hill.” He provided a place near the cross, within a very narrow window of time. He provided, not through the expected means, but through a man whose name (Joseph of Arimathea) we have never seen before in the Gospels, and through another (Nicodemus) whom we would never have expected to help bury the body of our Lord. The women who followed Jesus wanted to be able to anoint the body of our Lord, but the barriers to entering the tomb seemed insurmountable. A large stone covered the tomb; it had been sealed by Rome, and soldiers were there guarding the tomb to make certain it was undisturbed. God provided. Neither the stone, the seal, nor the soldiers kept Jesus in the tomb—or the disciples out. God always provides for the fulfillment of His promises. He does so by the instruments of His choosing. He does so in His time. The human instruments were those we would not have chosen, people we would never even have considered. It never occurred to me that, among the members of the Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus to die, there would be some who believed in Jesus, who opposed the plan of their peers, who managed to obtain the body of Jesus and give it a rich man's burial. God is at Work all the Time God was at work in the hearts of these two men—Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus—and at just the right time, He used them for His glory, and their good. As I read through this text describing our Lord's burial and resurrection, I am impressed with how unlikely it all seemed at the time. It looked impossible to secure the Lord's body and to properly prepare it for burial before nightfall. It seemed impossible to find a burial place. There seemed to be no one who would be able to secure the release of our Lord's body. And once the body of our Lord was discovered to be missing, there seemed to be no way to recover it. Much of what occurred in our text was contrary to the expectations and desires of those who were present. It does not seem as though Joseph really intended to have Jesus buried in his burial place, but as time ran out, it became the only thing he could do. For John, at least, there is an unavoidable conclusion: God raised Jesus from the dead. All these things were orchestrated by God, at just the right time, and in just the right way, so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. This was not a conclusion John felt he was obliged to reach, based upon our Lord's prophecies of His resurrection. John had completely forgotten about these prophecies. He believed in the resurrection of Jesus because there was no other explanation. The resurrection is a foundational truth for the Christian. Saving faith is resurrection faith. Christians do not believe in the resurrection simply because they feel obliged to do so; they believe in the resurrection because it is true, and there is no other reasonable explanation for the events which we find described in our text, or in the rest of the Bible. By bringing about the fulfillment of prophecy in the way He did, God gave compelling proof of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The disciples and followers of Jesus believed in the resurrection because the evidence was convincing. That's the way God wanted it to be. That's the way God caused it to work out. He arranged for the body of Jesus to be placed in a hewn tomb, the entrance of which was covered by a great stone, sealed with the Roman seal, and guarded by Roman soldiers. The open and empty tomb was compelling proof that the claim of our Lord to be the Messiah, the King of the Jews, was true. God always uses just the right instrument to accomplish His purposes in the right way at the right time. As I think of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, I am reminded that these were men of position and power, and at least Joseph was a man of wealth. I would never have imagined God would have used them to provide for our Lord's royal burial, but this is precisely who He used. While it is true that God uses the weak and foolish things of this world, it is also true that He sometimes uses the rich and the powerful, as He does here in our text. As I have reflected on this passage, I have come to realize that it describes one of the great turning points of all time. Our Lord is put to death, and His body is placed in a tomb, only to be raised to new life on the third day. This event turned the disciples' sorrow to joy, their weakness to strength, their fears to boldness and courage. It was the turning point for men and women like Joseph, and Nicodemus, and Mary Magdalene, not to mention Peter and John and the other disciples. It is by His death, burial, and resurrection that Jesus Christ saves us from our sins, and from the penalty of death. Have you trusted in Him, in His death on the cross of Calvary for your sins, and His resurrection from the dead, so that you may have eternal life? Let me invite you to do so this very hour. May the truth of this text be a turning point in your life, to His glory and to your eternal good. Read Romans 3:16-25 8.  Another lesson - devotion and love for Christ is increased when we know our origins. Go back to the ditch from which God pulled you out of." I hope you wonder about this as much as I do, but I wonder, "Why in the world did He save me?" Do you ever really wonder about that if you're a believer in Christ? Why did He love the likes of you and me? Why would He save us? Why would He save Mary of Magdala a demonized, sick, sinful woman? Why would He save a rich Joseph of Arimathea? Why would He save a secret disciple like Nicodemus who sneaks around at night asking questions? Because God loves no matter the person. He's no respect or persons. Whether you're a throwaway prostitute or a filthy rich man in a community, He's no respecter of persons. He loves you because He loves. One of the ways we keep our intimacy with Christ; our seeking Him constantly is that we come back to the miry pit from which we were dug and we do not deserve His grace. Don't ever think you do and live as if you don't because the moment you begin to believe you deserve it, you become a Pharisee and you become self-righteous and your behavior. These guys are trying to figure out the resurrection and you and I are trying to figure out the resurrected life. How do we live it? The only way I know is to beg God to somehow take this stinking body, mind and soul and to transform it into the image of Jesus Christ and to use it in spite of it. Galatians 2:20 that says, "I am crucified with Christ; therefore I no longer live. Jesus Christ now lives in me and the life I now live In the flesh I live by the power of Christ. We don't get we are to be living for Him. Your life and mine should be a thank you back to Christ for what He did for us on Calvary and the message of the resurrection is the core of our faith. Why do we pin our hopes on this? Because if He is dead and buried then go eat, drink and be merry because you're going to die. 10. When it comes to the most important issue of your eternal soul, what will you pin your hopes on?  And for man to pin his hopes on humanism or agnosticism or some “ism” of “ology” is a fascinating thing.  That something as profound as a resurrection of life from death would keep us from knowing Christ. Jesus' Post-resurrection Appearances Easter morning to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11; John 20:10-18) to other women (Matt. 28:9-10) to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5) Easter afternoon to two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:13-32) Easter evening to about 12 disciples excluding Thomas (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23) The following Sunday to 11 disciples including Thomas (John 20:26-28) The following 32 days to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23) to 500 people including the Eleven at a mountain in Galilee (Matt. 28:16-20;1 Cor. 15:6) to His half-brother James (1 Cor. 15:7) to His disciples in Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8; 1 Cor. 15:7) to His disciples on Mount Olivet (Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-12)   Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.               “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.              hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F             The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions [i] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Jn 20:3–9). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Our joy in the Lord is unquenchable -- it cannot be extinguished. In the Old Testament, the word "joy" means "gladness of heart" or "to delight the mind." The Hebrew word comes from the root word meaning "to shine" or "be bright." People who had "the joy of the LORD" were known to bring light into dark situations. It was a mental exercise. In the New Testament, joy takes on another aspect. Joy comes not only from the mind, but from our born-again spirit -- it's a fruit of the Spirit. It should not be affected by circumstances. However, our joy is affected by our circumstances and when it is, we have help. If you go to the Word of God; our joy is restored. In our Christian life, joy is from an outpouring of the Holy Spirit verses only being a mental exercise. This joy we have is unquenchable, just as the Holy Spirit is unquenchable. The world didn't give it, so the world can't take it away. But Satan will try to steal your joy. The apostle Paul exhorted, "Do not quench the Spirit" (I Thessalonians 5:19, NKJV). We can quench the Holy Spirit, thereby quenching our joy. We can even quench other people's spirits by what we do and say. But when a Christian is strong in the Spirit, they'll use the shield of faith ". . . to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." Jesus defeated the works of the Devil. Jesus' presence produces joy. King David knew this: "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalms 16:11, NKJV). In his sermon on Pentecost, Peter quotes David: "For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken . . . For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence'" (Acts 2:25, 27-28, NKJV). We have defeated death through Jesus Christ. That is a major reason for our joy. Selah! Let me hear from you - Charles https://www.aboundinglove.org/ Subscribe and share with someone you love.

Psalm 16 is a Messianic Psalm which predicted the Resurrection of Christ. In v1-6 we see His single-minded loyalty to God, trusting in God for security (v1), welfare and righteousness (v2). He is singleminded in His mission to save His people, His saints in whom is all His delight (v3, Hebrews 12:2). He is singleminded in His worship of God (v4), His desire for God's Presence (v5), and His trust in God to bring Him into His full inheritance of life and blessing (v5-6). He does not follow other gods in idolatry or other things in covetousness (v4-6). As a result, God gives Him counsel (guidance) by His Spirit instructing Him in His heart (v7), and He can look forward to glorious resurrection unto eternal life and blessings (v8-11). He always sets the Lord before Him, looking to Him for leadership and keeping His focus on Him. He exalts the Lord to the highest place in his life, the place of honour, at His right hand. As a result, the strength of God is always with him, and so whatever happens He will not be moved or shaken (v8). This is true even in the face of death. As He looks ahead to His death He can rejoice, knowing that God will raise Him from the death: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices, My flesh also will rest (dwell securely) in hope (of resurrection)" (v9). When this verse is quoted in Acts 2:26, the word 'glory' is translated as 'tongue' (following the Septuagint). This agrees with other verses that emphasise the close connection between the heart and the mouth (Matthew 12:34-35), the mouth receiving and expressing what is in the heart, which is the very meaning of 'glory' or 'to glorify' (John 16:13-15). The moon is the glory of the sun, because it receives the light of the sun and then shines it. Likewise, we glorify God by receiving and expressing His Spirit. Likewise, the tongue is our glory, because it takes what is in our heart and expresses it. In v10, he gives more explanation about His upcoming death and resurrection: "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see (undergo) corruption." In His identification with mankind, after death, in His human soul Christ went down to Sheol (Hades), while His body was in the tomb. He calls His body 'Your holy one' for it had no sin-nature (because of the virgin birth), and He continually offered it to God as a living sacrifice to do God's perfect will (Romans 12:1). He declares that God would not allow His holy body to see corruption, as that would be inappropriate. This is a prophecy that the sinless Messiah must be raised within 3 days, as corruption begins on the 4th day, according to the laws of chemistry (John 11:39). He concludes in v11: "You will show me the path of life. In Your Presence (Face) is fullness of joy; at (in) Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” As He walks with God, God shows Him the path that leads to abundant and eternal life, even through death and resurrection (also to walk in this path is to live). Most of all He looks forward to the full restoration to God's Presence (see v5), after His earthly life and suffering the darkness of the Cross. Moreover, He looks forward to fullness of joy (literally 'joys') and eternal pleasures provided by God the Father, at His right hand in Heaven. 'Fullness' means 'wholly satisfying and endlessly varied.' The resurrection (v11) is the ultimate answer to His prayer in v1-2. Notice that because He exalted God to His right hand (v8), God exalted Him to His right hand - the place of highest honour (v11, see also Psalm 110:1, Eph 1:20, Col 3:1, Hebrews 1:3,13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1Peter 3:22, Phil 2:9-11). Thus v9-11 is a prophecy of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus Christ fulfilled this Psalm by His perfect obedience and received His promised eternal inheritance, and He did it for us, that is He received every blessing on our behalf, so that in Christ, we will also receive the fulfilment of the promise of resurrection and eternal life enjoying God's Presence (in face to face fellowship at His right hand) and His pleasures forevermore. We conclude by seeing how the apostles Peter and Paul quoted Psalm 16 and showed how Jesus fulfilled it, proving that He is the Messiah (Acts 2:22-33, 13:33-38).

Psalm 16 is a Messianic Psalm which predicted the Resurrection of Christ. In v1-6 we see His single-minded loyalty to God, trusting in God for security (v1), welfare and righteousness (v2). He is singleminded in His mission to save His people, His saints in whom is all His delight (v3, Hebrews 12:2). He is singleminded in His worship of God (v4), His desire for God's Presence (v5), and His trust in God to bring Him into His full inheritance of life and blessing (v5-6). He does not follow other gods in idolatry or other things in covetousness (v4-6). As a result, God gives Him counsel (guidance) by His Spirit instructing Him in His heart (v7), and He can look forward to glorious resurrection unto eternal life and blessings (v8-11). He always sets the Lord before Him, looking to Him for leadership and keeping His focus on Him. He exalts the Lord to the highest place in his life, the place of honour, at His right hand. As a result, the strength of God is always with him, and so whatever happens He will not be moved or shaken (v8). This is true even in the face of death. As He looks ahead to His death He can rejoice, knowing that God will raise Him from the death: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices, My flesh also will rest (dwell securely) in hope (of resurrection)" (v9). When this verse is quoted in Acts 2:26, the word 'glory' is translated as 'tongue' (following the Septuagint). This agrees with other verses that emphasise the close connection between the heart and the mouth (Matthew 12:34-35), the mouth receiving and expressing what is in the heart, which is the very meaning of 'glory' or 'to glorify' (John 16:13-15). The moon is the glory of the sun, because it receives the light of the sun and then shines it. Likewise, we glorify God by receiving and expressing His Spirit. Likewise, the tongue is our glory, because it takes what is in our heart and expresses it. In v10, he gives more explanation about His upcoming death and resurrection: "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see (undergo) corruption." In His identification with mankind, after death, in His human soul Christ went down to Sheol (Hades), while His body was in the tomb. He calls His body 'Your holy one' for it had no sin-nature (because of the virgin birth), and He continually offered it to God as a living sacrifice to do God's perfect will (Romans 12:1). He declares that God would not allow His holy body to see corruption, as that would be inappropriate. This is a prophecy that the sinless Messiah must be raised within 3 days, as corruption begins on the 4th day, according to the laws of chemistry (John 11:39). He concludes in v11: "You will show me the path of life. In Your Presence (Face) is fullness of joy; at (in) Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” As He walks with God, God shows Him the path that leads to abundant and eternal life, even through death and resurrection (also to walk in this path is to live). Most of all He looks forward to the full restoration to God's Presence (see v5), after His earthly life and suffering the darkness of the Cross. Moreover, He looks forward to fullness of joy (literally 'joys') and eternal pleasures provided by God the Father, at His right hand in Heaven. 'Fullness' means 'wholly satisfying and endlessly varied.' The resurrection (v11) is the ultimate answer to His prayer in v1-2. Notice that because He exalted God to His right hand (v8), God exalted Him to His right hand - the place of highest honour (v11, see also Psalm 110:1, Eph 1:20, Col 3:1, Hebrews 1:3,13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1Peter 3:22, Phil 2:9-11). Thus v9-11 is a prophecy of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus Christ fulfilled this Psalm by His perfect obedience and received His promised eternal inheritance, and He did it for us, that is He received every blessing on our behalf, so that in Christ, we will also receive the fulfilment of the promise of resurrection and eternal life enjoying God's Presence (in face to face fellowship at His right hand) and His pleasures forevermore. We conclude by seeing how the apostles Peter and Paul quoted Psalm 16 and showed how Jesus fulfilled it, proving that He is the Messiah (Acts 2:22-33, 13:33-38).

Jeremy Lallier discusses Psalm 16:9-10—“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”Read “What Happens to Those Who Died Without Hope?”  Read “The Last Great Day: The Final Harvest”   This episode is a companion to the following Daily Bible Verse post. Verse by Verse releases every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Be sure to subscribe in your player of choice to hear each new episode as soon as it's released!

Pastor Lowell Nelson teaches on Acts 2:22-36 "David's Prophecy" on 5/1/2023 at the Monday evening Upper Room Bible Study. Acts 2:22-36 Peter's Sermon at Pentecost 22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know - 23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 "For David says concerning Him:'I foresaw the LORD always before my face,For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life;You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' 29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:'The LORD said to my Lord,"Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' 36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Romans 1:1-3. Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, The gospel of God is concerning God's son, Jesus Christ. It is important to the Holy Spirit and thus to the Romans and us to know that Jesus was a descendent of King David. It is important because God told David that the Christ would come from his line. Not only that but David prophesied the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he wrote, Psalms 16:10. “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” This confirmed to the Romans and to us that Jesus isn't just a good man or a myth. He is the gospel in the flesh. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians concerning Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” We say we live to love with Jesus, because Jesus lives. The gospel tells us he was raised from the dead, and lives in his people. Today, God calls those who believe the gospel to live to love with Jesus. They are testimonies of the gospel that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, and lives in us even as Paul was a living witness to the resurrected Christ, a descendent of David. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Transcript:Hello. This is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. “Life stinks and then you die,” so says a very cynical bumper sticker I saw one time. It makes me ask the question: Why is life in the modern world characterized by such hopelessness and meaninglessness? Does life have a purpose, and if so, what is it? A statement by some Christians from another era I think is helpful at this point. When asked what the meaning or purpose of life was, they said, “To glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever” (Question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, AD 1647). Much could be said regarding the richness of this statement, but at least one thing must be emphasized. To them meaning or purpose in life is found in relation to God. Our purpose as human beings is to maximize our relationship with the Supreme Being—to glorify Him, to know Him, indeed, to ENJOY Him! We were made to enjoy God. You can't enjoy someone you don't know. Maybe the reason you don't enjoy your relationship with God is because you don't really know Him, or you don't know much about Him. All relationships require investment. They require you to put in time. Only to the degree you put in time getting to know someone are you able to grow in that relationship. And if knowing God is the purpose of life, then only to the degree that you put in the time listening to His Word and talking to Him in prayer will you be able to know and experience your ultimate meaning and purpose. Now that's worth thinking about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord';I have nothing good besides You.”As for the saints who are on the earth,They are the majestic ones; all my delight is in them.The pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied;I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,Nor will I take their names upon my lips.The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;You support my lot.The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;Indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me.I will bless the Lord who has advised me;Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.I have set the Lord continually before me;Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;My flesh also will dwell securely.For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.You will make known to me the way of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy;In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”~Psalm 16:1-11 (NASB)

Adjustments are needed to be set on the Lord! The Lord must always be set before us. Elena Robertson ministers from Psalms 16:8-11 which says "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." www.mtgileadfgim.org www.instagram.com/elenamrobertson #christianpodcast #christianpodcasters #christianpodcasts #bible #biblestudy

Psalms 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalms 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. Psalms 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

John 19:39-40 “Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” Here we have another testimony of love. The Holy Spirit through John wants everyone to know the impact of the meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus recorded in John 3. At that point, Nick was THE teacher in Israel and a ruler of the Jews. He didn't have an understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit in the kingdom of God or new birth. He knew Jesus had to be from God, but he didn't know His purpose, His mission. In John 7:51, there's evidence that Nick had become at least sympathetic to Jesus' message and ministry. When the chief priests, Annas and Caiphas, and the Pharisees were discussing arresting Jesus, it was Nicodemus who said, “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” By the way, that comment was totally ignored. In this verse, we learn the impact of Jesus on Nicodemus. He, like Joseph of Arimathea, overcame fear and risked his reputation and standing with the council of the Jews. So what was the cost to Nicodemus for the extravagant burial spices? Some say in today's economy, it was $150,000 to $300,000. But the true value of Nick's honor of Jesus is more realized by what he surely traded in helping bury Jesus, namely, his standing and position with the council. It was a calculated action with known consequences—costly indeed. The amount of Nicodemus' mixture of myrrh and aloes was shocking. From my research, the usual application of funeral spices was one pound. By the way, this was not for embalming because embalming required cutting of the body. These were spices typically used for healing and to ward off the smells of death and decay. However, we know Jesus was dead, and there was no decay. Ps. 16:10 prophetically stated, “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” So I don't think Nick was thinking about overcoming the smells of a decaying body. Rather these spices were an expression of honor, love, and commitment. What can we do today to show honor, love, and commitment to Jesus? We have the body of Jesus available to us. As we care for those who are members of His body, we are displaying honor for Christ, love for His sacrifice, and commitment to Him. Let's go all out to live to love with Jesus. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Monday, 16 January 2023   “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; Acts 13:36   Paul just cited Psalm 16:10, claiming it refers to the coming Messiah. That said, “You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Having stated this, he will now defend that notion. He will follow the same logical reasoning as Peter did in Acts 2.   The words of this verse are a bit difficult to understand in the Greek, but an exacting literal translation, which will be used below, is, “for David, indeed, his own generation having served by the will of God, did fall asleep, and was added unto his fathers, and saw corruption” (YLT). With this in mind, Paul begins with, “for David.”   David is the author of Psalm 16 as noted in the psalm's opening statement. Because of this, it cannot be that he is referring to himself in those words. Rather, he must be prophesying concerning the coming Messiah. This is because, as Paul continues, “indeed, his own generation having served.”   David was the king for a certain amount of time, forty years according to 2 Samuel 5:4 and 1 Kings 2:11. And more, 2 Samuel 5:4 noted that David was thirty years old when he began to reign. Hence, he lived to be seventy years old. Of the timeframe of his kingship, Paul says that it was “by the will of God.”   God set David on the throne of Israel, and God determined when he would die. It was set according to the foreknowledge of God, and it came about according to His plan. After that time, Paul next says that David “did fall asleep.”   The meaning is that he died. To fall asleep is a biblical euphemism for this. It implies that there is a continuance of the soul even if the body has died. It thus speaks of the eternal nature of the soul. Once he fell asleep, Paul next says, “and was added unto his fathers.”   Though David was buried, the thought of being added to the fathers has a dual thought involved in it. Being added to the fathers means that his soul has joined them in the pit (Hebrew: sheol) where they will remain until the resurrection. But it also means that his physical body is committed to the grave where the others who had gone before him also went. In the case of his physical body, Paul next says, “and saw corruption.”   This proves that David's inspired words of the psalm could not be speaking of him. He died, he was buried, and his body saw corruption. There was no resurrection involved in the process. When the resurrection takes place, it will not be in the body he had because that has returned to the earth. As such, David's words must refer to someone else, specifically, the Messiah. That will be seen in the next verse.   Life application: For the Christian, there is always the hope of the rapture. But that hope has gone unfulfilled for two thousand years. Those who are alive at that blessed moment will be changed from their earthly bodies to spiritual bodies. However, for those who die before that time, we should not feel any less excited for them. They have shed this earthly body of corruption.   Their souls have been separated from the pains, trials, sorrows, and troubles of this life and they are in the capable hands of their Lord, awaiting the moment when the call is made for them to rise and be granted their eternal, spiritual body. Though we may suffer the pain of separation, we should not mourn as the world mourns.   In Christ, there is the absolute certain hope that they will be raised. And so, let us rejoice, even in our sorrows. The redeemed of the Lord shall rise. Nothing can stop that from happening. And so let us thank God for what He has done in the giving of Jesus!   Lord God, how grateful we are for the sure and blessed hope we possess concerning Your promises to us. We have eternal life because of Jesus. And so, even if we have trials in this life, help us to not be consumed by them. Instead, may we hold fast to the joy set before us as we await the time of our glorification. Thank You, O God, for what You have granted to us. Amen.

Sunday, 15 January 2023   “Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.' Acts 13:35   Paul is quoting Scripture to the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia. He just said to them that God raised Jesus from the dead, no more to see corruption.r This was considered certain because, as he cited from Scripture, it says, “I will give you the sure mercies of David.” With that, he now continues with another citation of Scripture, introducing his thought with, “Therefore He also says in another Psalm.”   The word translated as “Therefore” signifies “on this account” or “because.” In other words, because the Lord promised the Messiah that He would receive the sure mercies of David, there must be a natural result of that, even if He was to first be crucified. And so,  to firmly establish this, he repeats the thought concerning what will transpire after His crucifixion, saying, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”   Though the meaning is the same, the Greek literally reads, “You will not give Your Holy One to see corruption.” This is a citation from Psalm 16 –   “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:8-11   Paul cites a portion of the same words that Peter cited in Acts 2. After that, Peter more fully explained those words. The same will be true with Paul in the verses to come. They both clearly explain how what they cited is relevant to the surrounding argument.   Life application: If you go back and read the comparable verses in Acts 2 and the words now in Acts 13, you will also notice, as stated above, that both Peter and Paul do not merely cite Scripture and expect those who hear it to know what they are saying, but they fully explain what they have cited.   Some verses seem obvious in their meaning, and some have become so cliché through use that we think of them as actually applying to our circumstances at any given time. However, this is problematic because the surrounding context of what is said in those verses has nothing to do with what is the supposed intent when they are cited to us. Thus, a pretext is the result.   We must be very careful when citing Scripture to ensure the context is applicable, or that we can fully explain why what is cited logically pertains to our surrounding discourse. If we cannot do this, then our citing of those words is inappropriate.   As a simple example of this, consider 1 Corinthians 2:9 –   “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'”   It is as common as beans in a taco to cite this when talking about our future state in heaven. And yet, by going back and reading the surrounding context, we find that these words have nothing to do with that. Rather, they deal with the wisdom of God being displayed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.   Nobody could have conceived what God would do in Christ's coming, nor could they have conceived of the glory that it conferred upon us because of what He has done. Be sure that context is maintained at all times. In so doing, you will be in the sweet spot concerning what you are saying.   Lord God, help us to be responsible in our citing of Scripture so that those around us will have a right understanding of what is being communicated by You. May we never coopt verses that sound appealing to then make unfounded claims from Your word. This can edify no one. So, help us to be careful in dealing with Your precious and sacred word. Amen.  

There are prophecies the Messiah would be raised from the dead, but where is the resurrection of Jesus prophecy in the Old Testament? Is there an Old Testament prophecy of resurrection on the third day? Read or listen to this chapter from A Father Offers His Son for answers. Table of contentsJonah Is a Resurrection of Jesus Prophecy in the Old TestamentJonah's “Death”Jonah's BurialJonah Was "Raised" on the Third DayHosea Contains a Resurrection of Jesus Prophecy in the Old TestamentIsrael: God's SonThe Veil and Jesus' Body TornIsaac Is a Resurrection of Jesus Prophecy in the Old Testament Psalm 16 is a messianic psalm, which means that even though David wrote it, we can read it as though Jesus is speaking. In verse 10, he says, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Peter quotes this verse in Acts 2:27, and Paul quotes it in Acts 13:35 as prophecies of Jesus' resurrection. Isaiah 53:10 also prophesies of Jesus' resurrection: Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;He has put Him to grief.When You make His soul an offering for sin,He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Jesus did not have physical children (seed), but He has spiritual children. Isaiah says He will see these children after He has been killed—“bruised… put to grief… [made] an offering.” Jesus would die, but the Father would “prolong His days,” referring to His resurrection. While most Christians know it was prophesied that Jesus would be raised from the dead on the third day, few Christians can find the prophecy in the Old Testament. Why is that? When Jesus fulfilled prophecies, the New Testament often quotes the Old Testament verse that contains the prophecy. For example: Matthew 1:22-23 references Isaiah 7:14—“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which translates as, ‘God with us.'”Matthew 2:5-6 references Micah 5:2—So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'”In John 13:18, Jesus referenced Psalm 41:9—“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.'” The difficulty with the resurrection is the New Testament does not quote any Old Testament verse identifying the prophecy that it would take place on the third day. Is it possible there is no such prophecy? No: In Luke 24:46, Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.”In 1 Corinthians 15:4, Paul said, “[Jesus] was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Jesus said, “It is written” in the Old Testament that He would “rise [on] the third day.” Paul said “the Scriptures” prophesied, not just that Jesus would be raised, but on “the third day.” Where is this prophecy? There are three possibilities. Jonah Is a Resurrection of Jesus Prophecy in the Old Testament The Book of Jonah was written about 760 BC. Almost eight centuries before Jesus was born, Jonah served as an amazing “sign” of His death, burial, and resurrection. When the religious leaders asked for a sign in Matthew 12:39-40, Jesus rebuked them saying: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Jesus said Jonah served as a “sign” of His death, burial, and resurrection.

PSALMS Introduction To The Psalms PSALMS Bible Quiz….(08/29/22) What BOOK of the Bible Is at the VERY CENTER of The Bible?________________________________ The Longest Chapter in the Bible Is________________________________ The Shortest Chapter of The Bible Is____________ List 3 authors of the Psalms______________________________ ***EXTRA CREDIT***  Two Verses In  a NT Gospel Mention ‘PSALMS' as Prophetic of Christ what are the verses?_____________________________________________________________________________ What Passage In the NT mentioning Psalms is prophetic of Judas betrayal of Christ? _____________________________________________________________________________________ What Three passages In The Epistles mention the Psalms in operation in the church for edification?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Book at the Center of your Bible is PSALMS The Chapter In The Very Center of Your Bible Is PSALM 118 The fact can be argued depending on what Bible version you are using, but by most reckoning, the very center of the Bible when measured by chapter count is Psalms 118. . Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.2 Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord now say, “His mercy endures forever.”     Some Scholars say PSALM 117 is the center chapter of the Bible Notwithstanding, PSALM 117 IS the Shortest Chapter in God's Word 1) Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! [a]Laud Him, all you peoples! 2 )For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord Here are some other fun facts surrounding Psalms 117 & 118: The longest chapter of the Bible falls just after this center chapter-- Psalm 119. The shortest chapter of the Bible falls just after this center chapter-- Psalm 117. There are exactly 594 chapters before Psalm 118, and exactly 594 chapters after it. When you add the number of chapters before Psalms 118 and those after, the sum is 1,118. And the verse at the very center of the Bible is Psalms 118:8. The Very Center Verse of God's WORD Is…. Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." (NIV) In  following History this verse is 3500 years after creation & 3500 years until the close of the Millennium ( In the CENTER of All Time!!) This center verse of the Bible reminds believers to ask the question, "Are you centered in your trust in God?" It is a particular verse that reminds Christians to trust in God over trusting in themselves or other people. As Christians understand, God consistently provides for us and His grace is given to us freely. Even in the most difficult times, we should center ourselves by trusting in God. He is there making us strong, giving us joy, and carrying us when life weighs heavily on us. Miscellaneous Thoughts… “The PSALMS”  Refers to the 150 songs under that title in the English O.T., sometimes called “The Psalter”, from the Greek psalterion, or psalmi;1st used in the Greek translation & version of the O.T. known as the Septuagint, (so called for the 70 translations from the Hebrew to the Greek) designated often LXX , & dating from 300-200 BC. The O.T. had 3 Main sections of Books …The Law, the Prophets, & the Psalms Each Psalm is an individual song The Psalms subject matter is without Limit The Psalms are also greatly varying forms of Poetry The Book of Psalms stands  BETWEEN the Old & New Covenants Some Psalms spanned 1000 year period as between Moses & Hezekiah The Psalms show us the CENTRAL THEME of God's Word…His SON PSALMS is a ‘Spiritual Song Book' ,standing between the Cherubim PSALMS is LOADED With the Experiences of Jesus & His Church PSALMS shows  to us God's Mercy, Love,  & Judgment PSALMS is for All Men, in All Times &  All Seasons In a ‘Nutshell' The Psalms is a devotional, through which Jesus wants to speak to us In The end each one of us is writing our own ‘Personal Psalm' Psalms are are useful as: The Christian's "hymnal" to assist us in our praise to God The Christian's "prayer book" in which we learn how to approach God in prayer The Christian's "book of evidences" to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ The Christian's "training guide" for living holy and righteous lives before God   Reasons To Study The Psalms As Christians, we are commanded to utilize the Psalms: Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, (Ep 5:19) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Col 3:16) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. (Jm 5:13)     Thus the Psalms are useful for singing praises to God. They are also useful for teaching and confirming that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. Note the use Jesus made of them (Lk 24:44-47), 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, [a]and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Psa 2:1-12; Psa 16:9-11; Psa 22:1-31; Psa 40:6-8; Psa 69:1-36; Psa 72:1-20; Psa 88:1-18; Psa 109:4-20; Psa 110:1-7; Psa 118:22;) and also Peter's use of them in his first gospel sermon (Ac 2:25-28,34-35). 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” '(Psalm 16:8-11, 73:23) The Aim Of This Study It is my prayer that as we study this book we will accomplish the following goals: Become more familiar with Old Testament poetry - This is essential to getting more out the Psalms, and important if we are to avoid misinterpreting them Develop an appreciation and working knowledge of the Psalms - So one may utilize them for his or her own comfort and encouragement, and in counseling and comforting others Glean a clearer picture of God's character - To better understand His love, mercy and deliverance towards the righteous, but also His wrath and judgment against the wicked Learn more of the Christ in prophecy - To note descriptions of His suffering and glorious reign found in the Psalms, some of which are not found elsewhere in Scripture Consider examples of fulfilled prophecies - To see in fulfilled prophecy irrefutable arguments for the inspiration of the Scriptures, and for the claim that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah We will do (STUDY)this in TWO WAYS…..a.) Individual Psalms  b) Taking a ‘Theme' (like Praise, fear etc…) & studying it throughout the Entire Book of Psalms MORE Reasons To Study The Psalms…………….  Shows Characteristics Of Hebrew Poetry(Psalms  is part of the poetic ‘BOOKS'—Job, Proverbs, Ecc. & SofS also) Before we get into the background of the Psalms themselves, it may prove beneficial to consider some things about Hebrew poetry. Not only will this help to better understand the nature of the Psalms, but it can also assist in proper interpretation of this portion of Scripture. NOTE: wherein the English language of poetry has a clear rhyme & meter there is not a clear consensus  on the REAL flavor of Hebraic poetry…Hebrew is a fluid language, & Poetry has 5 Hebrew meanings , with some words showing opposite meanings. One of the things that makes Hebrew poetry different is... The Use Of "Thought Rhyme" Also known as "parallelism", thought rhyme involves arranging thoughts in relation to each other. This is done without a concern as to whether certain words rhyme with each other (as found in most modern poetry). In the Psalms, we find several different kinds of thought rhyme: Synonymous parallelism - The thought of first line is repeated in the second line, expressed in different words for the sake of emphasis. A good example is found in Ps 24:2...For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. (same idea, reworded) Antithetical parallelism - The truth presented in one line is strengthened by a contrasting statement in the next line. Consider this example from Ps 1:6...For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. (note the contrast) Synthetic parallelism - The first and second lines bear some definite relation to each other (such as cause and effect, or proposition and conclusion). A good example is Ps 119:11...Your word I have hidden in my heart, (cause) That I might not sin against You! (effect) Progressive parallelism - There are several varieties of this form, the most common being:Stair-like - Composed of several lines, each providing a complete element of the aggregate or composite thought. Notice Ps 1:1...Blessed is the man... Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (note the progression) Climatic - Here the principal idea in the first line is repeated and expanded to complete the thought. An example is found in Ps 29:1...Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones (give what?) Give unto the LORD glory and strength. (the answer) Introverted parallelism - The first line is closely related in thought to the fourth, and the second to the third. For example, consider Psa 91:14...Because he has set his love upon Me, (note line 4) therefore I will deliver him; (note line 3) I will set him on high, (note line 2) because he has known My name. (note line 1) Contrasted parallelism –The 1st line is in contrast to the 2nd line (Ps. 1:6)                                  Blessed is the man…..But His delight It is often fascinating to note how creative the Hebrew poets were as they composed their poetry using "thought rhyme" rather than "word rhyme". In some cases it even helps in interpreting difficult expressions or phrases. Another characteristic of Hebrew poetry is... The Lack Of Poetic Rhythm Much modern poetry has standard measures of identifiable rhythm, as in the poem "Mary Had A Little Lamb." With the Hebrews, however, the art of poetic rhythm was of secondary consideration. Some suggest that it is not likely that the Hebrew poets had standard measures, worked out and carefully defined. Again, their focus was on "thought rhyme," not "word rhyme." Finally, an important characteristic of Hebrew poetry is... The Use Of Figurative Expression The Psalms are filled with figurative expressions, and as such it is important to keep certain principles of interpretation in mind... The figure must be accepted and dealt with as a figure of speech, not as a literal statement For example, in Ps 18:31, the Lord is called "a rock." He is like a rock, but not one literally. In Ps 51:4, David says "Against You, You only, have I sinned." Yet he is confessing his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, in which he sinned not only against the Lord, but against his wife, against Uriah, and many others. David was speaking figuratively for the sake of expressing his deep grief in sinning against God, and we must allow for figurative expressions including hyperbole in poetic writings. One needs to be careful and not develop doctrinal beliefs upon what may be figurative expressions not intended to be taken literally. The figure must be interpreted in light of its meaning in the setting in which it was used For example, in Ps 23:4, we find the well-known phrase: "the valley of the shadow of death." It is not uncommon to hear the phrase applied at funerals to the act of dying. In the setting of the psalm, however, it refers to a treacherous place (such as a steep valley, where deep shadows can easily cause a misstep resulting in death), where the guiding hand of a shepherd would be very helpful to sheep to avoid death. It is therefore applicable to any time one is in perilous straits and in need of God's guiding hand. The Language of Similar sounds…(Psalm 132 …broad, guttural sounds, like a dirge)…words that sound like what they mean…cuckoo, splash, ping pong…kol-be-seder=Copacetic ….leviatin=Leviathan)………The Hebrew language is a language of SOUND that impacts our feelings & emotions………Emotion was part of the Hebrew communication, it should be likewise for us…Our communication IS 78% non-verbal. Lyrical Poetry- Poetry based on lyrics…the language is a perfect fit for the actions , it gives great pictures, broad concepts, & distinct sounds….(Psalm 110) Appreciating these characteristics of Hebrew poetry can help the Psalms become more meaningful, and understanding these characteristics can also help avoid misinterpreting the Psalms to teach doctrines the psalmist had no intention of teaching!

Now see what the Holy Spirit says through Peter on the Day of Pentecost with regards to the Lord's resurrection - Ac 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 "For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' 29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.Hades = the place of departed souls – please note that Hades is never used to refer to the place of eternal damnation. Eternal damnation takes place in the Lake of Fire – nowhere else.This podcast is part of a mini-series by John Herbert of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Jacksonville. You can see the full transcript of this podcast and learn more about this episode on our website.

16 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,“You are my Lord,My goodness is nothing apart from You.”3 As for the saints who are on the earth,“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,Nor take up their names on my lips.5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;You maintain my lot.6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;Yes, I have a good inheritance.7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.8 I have set the Lord always before me;Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;My flesh also will rest in hope.10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.11 You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy;At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Acts 2:22-41 New King James Version 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.' 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ' 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” A Vital Church Grows 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Psa 16:8  I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.Psa 16:9  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.Psa 16:10  For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.Psa 16:11  You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Acts 13:13-52   SUPPORT - The Listener's Commentary is a CROWDFUNDED Bible teaching ministry.  We believe everyone should have access to the wisdom of Jesus and the Bible so we've chosen to give the Listener's Commentary away as a free resource, and that's possible because of people's generous support. You can become a Ministry Partner by donating at:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     TEXT    Acts 13:13-52   13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18 For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about 450 years. 20 After these things He gave themjudges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.' 23 From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24 after John had proclaimed, before His coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' 26 “Brothers, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the declarations of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. 28 And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29 When they had carried out everything that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead; 31 and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. 32 And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33 that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have fathered You.'34 As for the fact that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David.' 35 Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.' 36 For David, after he had served God's purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay; 37 but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. 40 Therefore, see that the thing spoken of in the Prophets does not come upon you: 41 ‘Look, you scoffers, and be astonished, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.'” 42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedlybegged to have these things spoken to them the next Sabbath.43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have appointed You as a light to the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.'” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet in protestagainst them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 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Friday, 19 November 2021   “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Acts 2:29   Peter has completed his citing of David's words from the 16th Psalm. With that complete, he now immediately turns to the explanation of why those words were spoken by him, beginning with, “Men and brethren.”   In verse 2:14, Peter said, “Men of Judea and all who are in Jerusalem.” In verse 22, he then addressed them as “Men of Israel.” Now, he brings them even closer to himself by saying the exact same words he said to those gathered with him in verse 1:16, Andres adelphoi, “Men, brothers,” or more literally, “brother-men.”   In this, he is addressing those with him in a personal, friendly manner, acknowledging that those gathered are not just of Israel, and they are not just dwellers in the nearby areas. Instead, they are brothers united by the distinct culture that had bound them together in a unique way. With this bond of affinity stated, he continues by saying, “let me speak.”   Rather than “let me,” which would be begging permission, the meaning of the Greek is “it is permitted for me to speak.” Based on the display of tongues, based on the fact that he has shown from both the prophets and the psalms that the events that have taken place were prophesied, and based on the fact that he is a brother Israelite, he has the permitted right to speak forth.   From there, he says, “freely to you.” Rather, the Greek clearly reads “with freedom.” Based on what has occurred, and based on the facts presented in verses 22-24 concerning Christ's ministry, crucifixion, death, and resurrection, Peter cited inspired Scripture in order to establish a baseline by which he could then make and support his argument concerning Christ and how He is the reason behind the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.   As such, Peter next narrows his discourse to speak of the writer of the psalm that he just quoted, Israel's famous king and sweet psalmist. He does this by saying, “of the patriarch David.” Here, the word patriarchés, meaning the head or founder of a family, is introduced. The word will be used to describe the twelves sons of Jacob in Acts 7:8, 9, and also of Abraham in Hebrews 7:4.   David is called a patriarch because he is the father of the royal line and family leading to the Messiah. The term “House of David” is used numerous times in the Old Testament. It is referred to three times in the gospel of Luke as well. It is this key family that he is the patriarch of. Of King David, Peter now makes an obvious point to demonstrate why he brought in the words of the psalm. It is “that he is both dead and buried.”   Again, the translation is not precise. The verbs are aorist. It reads, “he both died and was buried.” There is a definite time in which these events occurred in the past. It is sure and fixed, and it is recorded for Israel to remember –   “So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. 11 The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.” 1 Kings 2:10, 11   The events happened, and time then marched on. David became a memory of the past. But a reminder of his time remained for those in Jerusalem. As Peter next says, “and his tomb is with us to this day.”   The words is mnéma. It signifies an identifiable sepulchre. The word comes from mnaomai, meaning to remember or to recollect. The resting place of David was still to be found among the place where most of the other kings of Judah were buried. It was a reminder of his time upon the earth, and that he had – in fact – gone the way of the earth.   As such, the entire point of Peter's quoting of the psalms becomes clear –   “For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Acts 2:27   The psalms were considered both sacred and inspired by God. To say otherwise would be considered blasphemous. As this is so, no one could challenge Peter's logic that David could not have been speaking of himself. David died, entered Hades, and remained there. And more, his body saw corruption, testified to by the tomb which remained in Jerusalem for all to see.   As this is so, then the psalm was clearly speaking of someone else. Therefore, Peter's claim in the resurrection of Jesus was a valid explanation of what occurred, and the tongues coming upon the believers was a sign and a witness that it was so. Peter will explain this in detail in the verses ahead.   Life application: When evangelizing Jews, it is good to first determine if they accept the premise that the Scriptures are inspired or not. If they accept this premise, then it is a valid approach to show them, from their own Scriptures, that the things presented there clearly point to a New Covenant, a crucified Savior, the resurrection, and so on. If they are willing to accept these things, you have a valid door through which to present them the gospel.   If they are not sure about the inspiration of Scripture, then you can attempt to convince them by reading them Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12. Most Jews have never heard these words read and they have no idea they are there. Without telling them that you are reading Isaiah, simply read them the words and then ask, “Who is this referring to?” Almost any who hears the words will say, “Jesus.”   They have heard the claims, they have been told what Christians believe, and they are told that none of it is true. But after they say it is Jesus who is being referred to, you can then show them that the words come not from a “Christian” source, but from their own “Jewish” Bible. From there, you have demonstrated that Christ is referred to, seven hundred years in advance, and they have testified to it as such. From there, you can give them the simple gospel of their salvation.   In the end, it is the heart – softened by the word of God, or hardened to the word of God – that must accept the word and receive the Gift, or reject the word and be condemned. Be ready to evangelize Jew or Gentile at all times. There is only one way to be reconciled to God, and that is through the Messiah of the Jews and the Christ of the nations. It is through JESUS.   Lord God, give us the desire to share the wonderful word of salvation to those who so desperately need to hear it. May we be willing to open our mouths and speak. Give us this desire, O God. Amen.

Wednesday, 17 November 2021   For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Acts 2:27   In this verse, Peter continues to cite the 16th Psalm. It is this verse, in particular, that he will use to build his case concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ that he spoke of in verse 2:23. As such, he begins with, “For You will not leave my soul in Hades.”   The word translated as “leave” means to “leave behind” or “abandon.” Other words which give the sense might be to “forsake,” or to “desert.” The word translated as “soul” is the Greek word psuché. That can have various significations, but the intent here is the being of the person that extends beyond the physical makeup. It is based on the Hebrew word nephesh which carries the same general meanings as the Greek. That this is referring to that which animates the body is obvious from the context because of the words “in Hades.”   Hades (translated as “hell” in older versions) is the repository for the dead. Today, hell is considered the place of damnation and eternal torment, but that was not its original intent. The Greek word hadés is the unseen world where departed spirits go. It is equivalent to the Hebrew word sheol, which is variously translated as the grave, hell, the pit, and so on. When a person dies, their soul (that which animates the physical body) is separated from the body. From there, it goes to sheol (hadés) where it awaits whatever is coming.   This is an unnatural state for man who is a soul/body unity. This is the doctrine known as anthropological hylomorphism, or the dual nature of man. Quite often, people incorrectly state that man has a triune nature – soul, body, and spirit. But this is not what Scripture teaches. Rather, the spirit is a connection to God. When Adam fell, the spiritual connection to God was lost. All people are born as a soul/body unity, but there is no spiritual connection to God.   The reconnection is the spiritual nature that needs to be corrected, but it is not a separate part of a person. When a person dies, he enters into an unnatural state where the body is dead, but the soul lives on. Paul calls this state being “naked” in 2 Corinthians 5:3. The intent for man that is clearly seen in Scripture is that he is to be a soul/body unity (clothed), and that it is to last forever because of the spiritual connection to his Creator. When the spiritual connection was severed, the physical body became corrupt and was destined to die –   “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19   The soul, without the body (meaning when the body dies), goes to this pit. Whatever state that soul is in at the time of death will determine whether that person will be condemned to the Lake of Fire, or if that person will be given new and eternal life. An example of a soul in sheol (hadés) is found in 1 Samuel 28 –   “Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?' And he said, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.' 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!' 13 And the king said to her, ‘Do not be afraid. What did you see?' And the woman said to Saul, ‘I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.' 14 So he said to her, ‘What is his form?' And she said, ‘An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.' And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. 15 Now Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?'” 1 Samuel 28:11-15   This is what David was saying in the Psalms concerning the state of One who has died, “For You will not leave my soul in Hades.” In this, it could be that he is simply saying, “I know that I will be redeemed from the pit someday. The Lord will not abandon me forever.” It is the same sentiment that Job anticipated –   “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27   As this is the case with David and Job and so many others, it can be argued to this point that David is simply writing about himself in the psalm. However, his next words are what Peter's case hinges on. Continuing to cite David, he says, “Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”   The word translated as “allow” is didómi. It means to “give.” Hence, “Nor will You give Your Holy One to see corruption.” As such, “allow” provides an acceptable way of understanding the intent. The Weymouth New Testament provides real clarity in the meaning of this verse –   “For Thou wilt not leave me in the Unseen World forsaken, nor give up Thy holy One to undergo decay.”   The word translated as “corruption” is introduced into Scripture here, diaphthora. It is found six times, all in Acts 2 and Acts 13. All six uses will refer to this same context, that of the non-decay of the body of Christ. The word David uses in the Psalm is shakhath, signifying a pit. As such, it figuratively means “decay,” because a body in a pit decays. The Greek translators of the Old Testament understood this and translated the words of David as Peter now repeats them.   It is the normal occurrence that happens to all people. It is the reason why some cultures embalm their dead. It is an attempt to arrest the degradation of the body in order to overthrow the effects of the fall. Job understood this state of degradation of the body and he forms a parallel thought, equating the pit (corruption) to the activity of worms which come to destroy his body –   “If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,' And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,'” Job 17:14   As the soul does not decay, what David says is obviously referring to the body that has gone to the pit in death. The words of David are stating that a Person is going to die, that the soul of that Person will enter Hades, and that the body of that Person will not see corruption in this state. After finishing his quote from the psalms, Peter will then explain why this must be speaking of the Messiah rather than David referring to Himself.   Both of these clauses, when properly understood, point to a person who is protected by the Lord from being abandoned in the repository of the dead (Hades) and whose body – that has been temporarily separated from the soul – will not see any corruption, even though this is the usual and accepted norm for bodies that die. That this separation is temporary is to be inferred because the soul has not been left in Hades. As Hades is where disembodied souls go, the inference is then obvious. There will be a reuniting of the soul and body.   Life application: One valuable tool in studying particular verses or passages is to check the translation of multiple versions. In doing so, different ways of expressing the same thing can be considered. In knowing what the original language says, and then noting these various translations, it is as if a flower has opened up with many beautiful petals that look the same, but are individual from one another.   At the same time, one must be careful to not simply choose the translation that he likes the most because it is pleasing to the ear. It may be wrong, and indeed, translations are often wrong. But to see the variations can help come to a proper conclusion about what is being said. This is exactly what the authors of the KJV said to do in their preface. Though the language is old and difficult, they say –   “For as it is a fault of incredulitie, to doubt of those things that are evident: so to determine of such things as the Spirit of God hath left (even in the judgment of the judicious) questionable, can beno lesse then presumption. Therfore as S. Augustine saith, that varietie of Translations is profitable for the finding out of the sense of the Scriptures: so diversitie of signification and sense in the margine, where the text is not so cleare, must needes doe good, yea is necessary, as we are perswaded.”   In other words, they are fully persuaded that it is necessary to use a multitude of translations, and to also check the margin notes where the text is not so clear. As such, we can close with an evaluation of the verse set before us today in a multitude of translations –   # because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. (NIV)   # For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. (NLT)   # For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. (ESV)   # because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. (BSB)   #for You will not abandon my soul into Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see decay. (BLB)   # Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (KJV)   #For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (NKJV)   #FOR YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY. (NASB)   # FOR YOU WILL NOT FORSAKE ME and ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES (the realm of the dead), NOR LET YOUR HOLY ONE UNDERGO DECAY [after death]. (Amplified)   # because you will not abandon me in Hades or allow your holy one to see decay. (CSB)   # because You will not leave me in Hades or allow Your Holy One to see decay. (HCSB)   # Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. (ASV)   # “Because you did not leave my Soul in Sheol and you did not give your Pure One to see destruction.” (Aramaic)   # The Lord won't leave me in the grave. I am his holy one, and he won't let my body decay. (CEV)   # Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. (Douay-Rheims)   # Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. (ERV)   # because you will not abandon me in the world of the dead; you will not allow your faithful servant to rot in the grave. (GNT)   # because you do not abandon my soul to the grave or allow your holy one to decay. (GWT)   # For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or allow your Holy One to experience decay. (ISV)   # Because You will not leave my soul to Hades, Nor will You give Your Holy One to see corruption; (LSV)   # because you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.   # because you will not abandon my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. (NHEB)   # For Thou wilt not leave me in the Unseen World forsaken, nor give up Thy holy One to undergo decay. (Weymouth New Testament)   # because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. (WEB)   # because Thou wilt not leave my soul to hades, nor wilt Thou give Thy Kind One to see corruption; (YLT)   Lord God, thank You for the diligent study and care of scholars and translators over the ages who have brought a richness to understanding Your word that fills us with a great and deep understanding and appreciation for what Your word is telling us. Help us to be diligent in our own studies, and to carefully evaluate and consider what You are telling us. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Monday, 15 November 2021   For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Acts 2:25   Peter has just spoken of the ministry, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of the Lord. Now, he will defend the statement that “it was not possible that He should be held by” death. He will do this by citing David from the psalms. As such, he begins with, “For David says concerning Him.”   The meaning of “concerning” is “in reference to.” What David wrote is in reference to the coming Messiah, as if He is writing about Himself. In other words, when reading the psalm, what David wrote at first appears to be referring to himself. David's psalms are often from a first-person perspective, and they are centered around events in his life, and are often so personal in nature that it is obvious he is referring to himself. The 51st psalm (cited in the previous commentary) is such an example.   And yet, it is understood by Israel that the Scriptures, which include the psalms, are inspired by God. At times, they certainly carry a doubl e significance – meaning they are personal, but that they also anticipate the coming Messiah. At other times, it is understood that they are certainly referring directly to the coming Messiah. They are prophetic in nature and speak of what is to occur in Him.   Peter will now cite Psalm 16 to make his case concerning Christ, and thus provide evidence to what occurred among the disciples was ordained of God. Both Acts and the Psalms will be cited in their entirety now. The Psalm is cited from the Greek version of the OT, but the citation below will be from the Hebrew –   “I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.” Acts 2:25-28   “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:8-11   With the verses now cited, Peter continues, saying, “I foresaw the LORD always before my face.” This is not saying that He is seeing the Lord beforehand. Rather, it is stated from a personal reference point. In essence, “I see the Lord right before Me.” This is reflected in the Hebrew, “I have set the Lord always before me.”   The meaning is that the Lord (Yehovah) is always present with Him and is therefore ready to help Him and deliver Him. As this is from the Messiah's reference, we can understand that even in the anguish of His coming death, He will be delivered. Hence, we can think of Christ's time in mournful prayer and yet obedient submission to the will of the Lord. It is a note of encouragement and comfort which is then bolstered by the words, “For He is at my right hand.”   The right hand is the position of power. It is the position of honor. It is the position of dignity. The Lord is by His Messiah, ready to help and defend Him and to exalt Him in due time. In the 110th Psalm, after the completion of His work, the positions are switched and the Messiah is set at the right hand of the Lord (Yehovah) –   The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” 2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Psalm 110:1, 2   Charles Ellicott states of this position referred to now, “The Psalmist thought of the Eternal as the warrior thinks of him who, in the conflict of battle, extends his shield over the comrade who is on the left hand, and so guards him from attack.” It is a correct thought and is supported by the words of Psalm 91 –   “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.'” Psalm 91:1, 2   Jesus, the Messiah, has placed His trust in the eternal God and knows that He is safe. As such, Peter continues the quote by saying, “that I may not be shaken.”   The idea here is “shaken in mind” or “shaken in faith.” The Messiah would remain confident through the ordeal set before Him because He had the Lord before Him, even at His right hand. Paul's words to the Thessalonians reflect the same thought –   “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2   Christ had an ordeal to face, and He set His eyes on the prize that lay ahead, not being shaken from it through fear or a love of the present world.   Life application: The level of our faith (not necessarily saving faith, but faith in the continued hand of the Lord in our lives) can be determined in seeing how we respond to trials, pains, difficulties, and the like. Are we moaning about every little thing that affects us personally, even when we hear of people with imme nsely greater trials around us? If so, we are doing nothing to build them up in their greater need, and it demonstrates a weakness in our reliance on the Lord.   Life is messy, it can get very complicated very quickly, and it can turn disastrous in a moment. Because of this, and because we have absolutely no control over the next moment of our lives, we are wise to leave everything in the Lord's hands, surrendering to His will, relying on Him, and setting Him always before us.   We can do this by simply talking to Him throughout the day. We can do this by engaging with His word when we rise, when we drive (audio Bible, please!), when we have a break from work, and when we are ready to sleep. His word will inform us, guide us, comfort us, and encourage us.   The time we put the Lord before us will reflect our priorities. If we are not thinking about Him, we are engaging the world. And the world will never give us the true courage we need to conduct our affairs from an eternal perspective. Set the Lord before you and be encouraged in Him. Christ set the example, even when facing death. Let us follow Him in His steadfast reliance on the Lord.   Glorious God Almighty, may we always place You before us, trusting in You and Your promises because of the finished work of Christ. He trusted in You and was not moved. And You brought Him through His ordeal, seating Him at Your right hand. We now have the assurance that we too will be brought safely to You. Let us remember this as we face our own trials, woes, and difficulties. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Acts 2:14-36   SUPPORT - The Listener's Commentary is a CROWDFUNDED Bible teaching ministry.  We believe everyone should have access to the wisdom of Jesus and the Bible so we've chosen to give the Listener's Commentary away as a free resource, and that's possible because of people's generous support. You can become a Ministry Partner by donating at:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     TEXT    Acts 2:14-36   14 But Peter, taking his stand with the other eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,' God says, ‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, And your young men will see visions, And your old men will have dreams; 18 And even on My male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, And they will prophesy. 19 And I will display wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' 22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25 For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord continually before me, Because He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue was overjoyed; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; 27 For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.' 29 “Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 So because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. 32 It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore, since He has been exalted at the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”' 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”   SUBSCRIBE - To subscribe for updates, more resources, and downloadable notes and more details visit https://www.listenerscommentary.com     Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net  

October 28th, 2021 ... Weekly Bible Study with Scott ... Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ: Weekly Bible Study: October 28, 2021 Psalm 20:6–8 (NKJV) 6Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. 7Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. Psalm 16:1–11 (NKJV) 1Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. 2O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” 3As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” 4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. 5O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 118:6–9 (NKJV) 6The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. 8It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. 9It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 73:26–28 (NKJV) 26My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. 28But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works. Proverbs 3:5–6 (NKJV) 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Jeremiah 29:10–14 (NKJV) 10For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wheelsonfireforchrist/message

Octubre 1: El placer de vivir con Él.Salmos 16:1‭-‬11 RVA2015:Guárdame, oh Dios, porque en ti me he refugiado. Oh alma mía, dijiste al SEÑOR: “¡Tú eres el Señor! Para mí no hay bien aparte de ti. Para con los santos que están en la tierra y para con los íntegros es toda mi complacencia”. Se multiplicarán los dolores de quienes se apresuran tras otro dios. Yo no ofreceré sus sacrificios de sangre ni con mis labios mencionaré sus nombres. Oh SEÑOR, porción de mi herencia, y mi copa, ¡tú sustentas mi destino! Los linderos me han tocado en lugar placentero; es hermosa la heredad que me ha tocado. Bendeciré al SEÑOR, que me aconseja; aun en las noches me corrige mi conciencia. Al SEÑOR he puesto siempre delante de mí; porque está a mi mano derecha no seré movido. Por tanto, se alegró mi corazón y se gozó mi lengua. También mi cuerpo descansará en seguridad. Pues no dejarás mi alma en el Seol ni permitirás que tu santo vea corrupción. Me mostrarás la senda de la vida. En tu presencia hay plenitud de gozo, delicias en tu diestra para siempre.¡Este es un salmo que produce placer y seguridad al leerlo! Escuchar o leer al salmista declarando tantas cosas bonitas de Dios, las emociones que él sintió en su vivir con el Señor afirman nuestra fe en Dios, quien verdaderamente salva, bendice, guía y protege a sus hijos. Así como David admiraba a los justos, nosotros también podemos decir lo mismo de estos personajes bíblicos. Los llamamos “héroes de la fe” al leer en las páginas de las sagradas Escrituras cómo conquistaron retos y pelearon batallas físicas y espirituales en el Nombre del Señor. La reflexión del día de hoy está enfocada desde el verso 7, donde vemos cómo la relación entre el salmista y Dios era muy cercana, muy clara y con experiencias de crecimiento y fortaleza a diario. Es más, él reconoció la guianza continua del Señor y dijo que incluso al final del día Dios nos corrige y nos enseña por medio de nuestras conciencias.Este es un momento valioso e importante en el crecimiento espiritual donde Dios nos parte sabiduría al hacernos entender alguna situación en la que estemos pasando. Si hay dudas, Él nos afirma; si tenemos preguntas, Él nos da las respuestas; si estamos perturbados, Él nos da la calma y entendimiento para poder comprender lo que estamos pasando; si tenemos miedo, Él nos da seguridad y fuerzas; si tomamos decisiones difíciles haciendo lo correcto, Él nos reconforta y nos hace sentir que Él se ha agradado. En las noches cuando tomamos tiempo para analizar lo que hicimos en el día, ¡qué mejor acompañante sabio para analizar nuestras vidas que el Señor! Él es el mejor consejero que nos hace ver con amor y paciencia las acciones o palabras indebidas, y nos redarguye para que entendamos cuando hayamos cometido algún daño, y nos muestra el plan que debemos seguir para reparar el daño y al que ofendimos, con palabras y acciones de nobleza y humildad.Ya no vivas tu vida a tu manera. No pelees más con esa voz divina que te habla en tu interior por medio de tu conciencia; más bien deléitate en el Señor, gózate al estar a su lado porque Él te mostrará el camino del bien si lo consultas desde el momento que te levantas y cuando te acuestas, hablando con Él en oración y escuchando su voz en meditación antes de dormir. Considera:¿Tomas tiempo para hacer una pausa en silencio para escuchar la voz de Dios?¿Has escuchado esa voz interna que te habla en tu conciencia?¿Has tenido alguna mala experiencia cuando no obedeciste a la voz de Dios?¿Fuiste librado de algún mal cuando seguiste el consejo de tu conciencia?Soy tu amigo y hermano Eduardo Rodríguez. Que el Señor escuche tu oración y te hable esta noche. ========

Accessing the Grace of God by His Presence - Episode 2 Apostle Kingsley Ajei-Godson Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Psalm 16:8-11 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

A Michtam of David.16 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,“You are my Lord,My goodness is nothing apart from You.”3 As for the saints who are on the earth,“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,Nor take up their names on my lips.5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;You maintain my lot.6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;Yes, I have a good inheritance.7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.8 I have set the Lord always before me;Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;My flesh also will rest in hope.10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.11 You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy;At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

On today's episode, our focal scripture is PSALM 16 (NKJV) 1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. 2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” 3 As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. 5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. As read by Nailah Tee (@nailahtee) #DailyWordBytes #NailahTee #Psalm91 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dailywordbytes/message

Maybe you are facing a difficult situation and you have taken your eyes off of God or you have forgotten the one who is on your side is eternal, all powerful, ever present and makes a way when it seems to be no way. All Me to Reintroduce the Lord, Your Holy One, the Creator, the King of Kings! Isaiah 43:15-16 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/tasha-mack9/support

10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 16:10-11

Acts 2:25-28 For David says concerning Him: [' I foresaw the LORD always before my face,] [For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.] [Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;] [Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.] [For You will not leave my soul in Hades,] [Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see] [corruption.] [You have made known to me the ways of life;] [You will make me full of joy in Your presence.']

483: Psalm 16:7-9 (Philip Hartman)   As Philip Hartman concludes his mini-series Psalm 16, he focuses at the conclusion and climax of the passage (verses 9-11): "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Support this podcast

483: Psalm 16:7-9 (Philip Hartman)   As Philip Hartman concludes his mini-series Psalm 16, he focuses at the conclusion and climax of the passage (verses 9-11): "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.-2-I said to the LORD, -You are my Lord--I have no good besides You.--3-As for the saints who are in the earth,-They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.-4-The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied--I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,-Nor will I take their names upon my lips.--5-The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup--You support my lot.-6-The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places--Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.--7-I will bless the LORD who has counseled me--Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.-8-I have set the LORD continually before me--Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.-9-Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices--My flesh also will dwell securely.-10-For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol--Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.-11-You will make known to me the path of life--In Your presence is fullness of joy--In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Sermon Theme: You must decide today if the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is actually true or not, so that you can have the hope of resurrection and eternal life that God promises to all who believe in His Son. Matthew 16:21-24 21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Luke 9:21-23 21 But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. John 20: 19-29 19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” Psalm 16:10 10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

Acts 2:22-39 New King James Version (NKJV) 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

Order of Service: - Prelude: Prelude in E Minor — N. Bruhns (1665-97) - Hymn 33 - We Now Implore God the Holy Ghost: vv. 1 & 2 - The Versicles (pp. 120-121) - Psalm 46 (p. 180; Tone 2) - Hymn 250 - A Mighty Fortress is Our God: vv. 1 & 2 - Hymn 251 - A Mighty Fortress is Our God: vv. 3 & 4 - Acts 2: 22-28: 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ - Hymn 378 - Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice: vv. 1 & 2 - Romans 7: 14-25: 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. - Hymn 378 - Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice: vv. 3 & 4 - Galatians 4: 4-7: But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. - Hymn 378 - Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice: vv. 5 & 6 - Romans 5: 6-11: 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. - Hymn 378 - Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice: vv. 7 & 8 - Luke 24: 44-48: 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. - Hymn 378 - Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice: vv. 9 & 10 - Homily - Hymn 35 - All Glory Be To God On High - The Kyrie (p. 124) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 125) - Hymn 584 - Grant Peace, We Pray, in Mercy, Lord Service Participants: Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Preacher), Paul Gullixson (Organist)

By Pastor Gil Dirmann Scriptures (All NKJV) - Philippians 4:7-8 - “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Mark 4:39-41 - “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him.” - Luke 4:1-4 - “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” - Matt 14:22-33 - “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now n the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But…when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then, those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” - Matt 26:36-39 - “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” - Acts 2:22-28 -“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; More-over my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’” Message Points 2 common mistakes in understanding Jesus: 1) Over emphasize Jesus deity on earth 2) Over emphasize Jesus sinless humanity Jesus had… 1. A heart full of the Word 2. A life filled with the Spirit 3. A mind set towards faith-filled obedience.

The 10 Commandments are 10 simple and concrete statements that could transform the planet. There is nothing ambiguous about them. Consider this: if everyone practiced the 10 commandments there would be justice, everlasting peace, freedom, unity, dignity, integrity, prosperity, and love. If there is a even the slightest possibility that this is true we should study and reflect deeply upon them.Today’s Message:There is no commandment that easily illustrates the simple and profound reach of God’s commands. Imagine a nation where there is no maligning, lying, deceiving, falsifying, stretching the truth, half-truth, scapegoating, blaming, implying, fabricating, deluding, or exaggerating at another’s expense or opportunity… the fact that we can’t and that many have given up trying is a crisis and a tragedy we must endeavor to overtake…Today’s ScripturesExodus 20.16: “You shall not bear false witness.”Psalm 15: O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill?He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.Psalm 16: Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.”As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.Click here for message outline.Click here for additional resources.

Want to participate in our Nephesh Q+R? Have a question about your “soul”? Send us your question info@jointhebibleproject.com. Don’t forget to tell us your name and where you’re from! What happens to our souls after we die? This is our third episode on the Hebrew word “Nephesh”. It usually gets translated as “soul” in modern bibles. But to the hebrews the word often meant “throat”. This episode Tim and Jon discuss the Hebrew concepts of an afterlife. The Hebrews would often use the word “Nephesh” when talking about eternal life in the Scriptures. In part 1 (0-7:00), the guys talk about the difficulty of getting the nephesh concept across in a short video. They discuss the possible gradients of ways to read the Shema. In part 2 (7:00-17:30), Jon asks “Isn’t there some sort of non material part of me that survives death?” To which Tim replies “Yes.” But it’s not necessarily what you think. Tim says the biblical authors refuse to speculate about what happens after death, only that the authors say we are “with the Lord.” He uses Psalm 16 and Psalm 49 as an example. Psalm 16:8-10: I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my nephesh to the grave; Nor will You ballow Your Holy One to see the pit. You will make known to me the path of life; Tim says Bible scholar NT Wright calls it “life after life after death.” In part 3 (17:30-end), the guys discuss the concept of Nephesh in the New Testament. Nephesh is translated with the Greek word “psuche.” It’s often used to describe a person as an embodied, living organism. A few of Jesus’ famous sayings with the word “psuche” include: Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your psuche, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Luke 17:33 Whoever tries to save their psuche will lose it, and whoever loses their psuche will preserve it. Psuche can also be used to describe the animating life-energy of a person (very similar to pneuma/ruakh) Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of psuche and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, psuche and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you to all our supporters! Show Resources: Our video on the word Nephesh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_igCcWAMAM More resources on our website www.thebibleproject.com N.T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God. Music Credits: Defender Instrumental: Rosasharn Scream Pilots: Moby Boost: Joakim Karud Back To Life: Soul II Soul: Non-Profit and Educational Fair Use Produced by: Jon Collins and Dan Gummel

Acts 13:13-43 NASB – 13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18 For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. 20 After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24 after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ 26 “Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. 28 And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead; 31 and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. 32 And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33 that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today i have begotten You.’ 34 As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ 35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’ 36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; 37 but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. 40 Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you: 41 ‘Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.’” 42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.

Psalms 16 Watch Video Listen to MP3 Download Handout Download Manuscript → Click to view the Sermon Outline   Philippians 4:10-12 - But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. Opening Salvos 1. How do we know that Psalm 16 is speaking about Jesus? Acts 2:22-27 - Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord always in my presence. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. Acts 2:29-31 - Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. Acts 13:32-35 - And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’ As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’ 2. What is the setting of this Psalm? 3 stages where Jesus satisfies above all others “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” John Piper I. Contented and Confident in Christ While You’re Alive A. Because of a secure relationship – vv. 1-2 Psalm 16:1 - …I take refuge in You. Psalm 16:2 - I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.” Psalm 5:11 - But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. Psalm 31:20 - You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. Psalm 61:4 - Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Matthew 11:28-29 - Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. Luke 5:16 - But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. 1 Peter 2:23 - …and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously… Luke 23:46 - And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. Colossians 1:28 - We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. B. Because of a delightful family – vv 3-4 1. Positively Psalm 16:3 - As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 2. Negatively Psalm 16:4 - The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied… C. Because of our incredible stewardship Psalm 16:5-6 - The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 - But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be.  Grieve the losses.  Then wash your face.  Trust God.  And embrace the life you have – John Piper. D. Because of supernatural counsel Psalm 16:7-8 - I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Malachi 3:8-10 - Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, “How have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. II. Contented and Confident in Christ When Facing Death Psalm 16:9-10 - Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. Psalm 23:6 - Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. III. Contented and Confident in Christ when Contemplating Eternity Psalm 16:11 - You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Hebrews 12:2 - …fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Outlined Manuscript - If you asked the people closest to you to select the 3-5 words that best describe and define you, what would they say?... - you might want to actually try the experiment with a few folks in the next couple of days…perhaps your spouse if you’re married, some close friends, your parents or children, your boss, co-workers, neighbors, college roommate… - and in some cases say at the outset – I really want you honest answer and I won’t make you pay a price for answering… - but what kind of words would they come up with that best describe and define you?... - now here’s the next question – how long would it be before the words contented and confident made the list?...would they be among the first 3-5?... - or would some of have to say…how about 8-10?... - how about 15-20…right after moody and snarky…could I get a little contented and confident?... - then what about this…how important are those commodities?....whether a person is 8 years old, or 18, or 28, or 48, or 88…how important is it to learn to be contented and confident?... - and I realize someone might say – well wait a minute – it’s not something you learn, it’s something you receive…if you’re lucky…contented people achieve that condition because things went well for them…is that right?... - because you may remember when the apostle Paul was writing a thank you letter to a church he dearly loved and he was thanking them for their financial support of him as one of their missionaries…what church was that?...the church at Phillippi…but what did he say… - Philippians 4:10–12 - But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. - so would it be fair to say that the people of whom their friends or family or co-workers of whoever would say they are contented and confident…it is less a matter of their external circumstances and more a matter of the heart (the inner person) they bring to those circumstances?... - and can we also all take hope that even if others wouldn’t write those words on our list of chief characteristics now…that it is something that we could still learn and develop now and in the coming days?...absolutely… - one more question…what does living In Christ Alone have to do with any of this?... - with all of that in mind, please open your Bible to Psalm 16 this morning…page 392 of the front section of the Bible under the chair in front of you… - I hope you love the book of Psalms…I’ve been especially enjoying them this year because of the way my Read through the Bible plan is structured…I try to read through the Bible each year as many of you do… - in the past, the plans I used were divided into readings from the OT and the NT…what that meant was, when you got to the book of Psalms, you were reading through it pretty quickly… - the one I have this year is divided in three parts…so you read something from Psalms and Proverbs each day, and then something from the rest of the OT and something from the NT…what I like about this plan is that you’re going through Psalms and Proverbs more slowly…and I’ve really enjoyed that… - now let’s locate this in our overall emphasis this year…why are we talking this year about Living in Christ Alone?... because this is the 500th anniversary of the protestant reformation…btw – a number of people have thanked me for encouraging you to read at least one book on this topic this year…I’m glad for that…and what we’re learning is that the Reformation especially emphasized 5 important theological truths -- that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone…[by the way – next Sunday we’re going to take our second pit stop of the year and look at one of the key historical figures of that period of time…] - we started this year by working verse by verse through the book of Colossians – which is all about the Preeminence of Christ which we found to be a powerful and immensely practical book of the Bible… - now we’re launching a brand new study on Seeing Christ in the Psalms - that’s surprising to some people because many Psalms were written by King David, the second king of the nation of Israel who lived and wrote around 1000 BC…yet a number of the Psalms were messianic in nation…in other words while they speak about an experience of a human king – usually David – they point toward the ultimate King the Lord Jesus Christ… - and especially as we look back at them through what we now know from the NT – it just takes our breath away to see the way the Word of God fits together…not simply because we like seeing the jigsaw puzzle pieces come together – but because we love seeing the full and beautiful picture of Jesus Christ come alive before our eyes… - Opening Salvos - now, before we read this Psalm, let’s try to clear away 2 questions: 1. How do we know that Psalm 16 is speaking about Jesus? - that’s a pretty easy one to answer…because the NT clearly tells us so… - here are two key places where Psalm 16 is quoted. - the first is Peter’s great sermon on the day of Pentecost…the day the church was born…part of that sermon reads like this… - Acts 2:22–27 - Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord always in my presence….Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. - he goes on to explain -- Acts 2:29–31 - Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. - that is a fascinating passage…because Peter says – David couldn’t have been talking about himself – the grave-robbers have been to his tomb many times…David was speaking prophetically about the coming Messiah – and those words were powerfully and perfectly fulfilled when God the Father raised His Son from the dead…1000 years after He said He would… - Paul made the same point in Acts 13 - Acts 13:32–35 - And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today i have begotten You.’ As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’ - so this Psalm we have before us…for sure we want to treat it with the awe and respect it deserves… 2. What is the setting of this Psalm? - It is very interesting to read the commentators on that point…which reminds me of what we learned in Bible College and seminary – that commentators are just common-taters… - because they are all over the map on that question…at what point in David’s life was this Psalm written… - and some believe that –because it speaks about contentment and confidence -- it had to be early in David’s reign before he faced some of the challenges to his kingship later on… - and you just want to scream back – that’s exactly the opposite of what the Psalm is arguing…it’s not that you can possess these character qualities if everything is going your way… - it’s that you can learn to cultivate the kind of relationship with God – just like our King Jesus did – that results in contentment and confidence no matter what… - and the words “no matter what” give all of this a significance that makes this study very exciting - read Psalm 16… - so we’re talking this am about Being Contented and Confident in Christ - with the time we have remaining, let’s walk through this Psalm looking for 3 stages where Jesus satisfies above all others. - another way of thinking about this is pastor John Piper’s well-known quote – God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.  - this passage explains why that’s true – and for how long it’s true… I. Contented and Confident in Christ While You’re Alive - that’s the point of the first 8 verses…think about all the reasons we have here and now to be satisfied in Christ…first of all… A. Because of a secure relationship – vv. 1-2 - do you see how that’s described in the first 2 verses?... - Psalm 16:1 - …I take refuge in You. - Psalm 16:2 - I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.” - isn’t it amazing that we can have that kind of secure, and intimate relationship with the very God of the universe?...and there are some other powerful verses in the Psalms about what this is like… - Psalm 5:11 - But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. - Psalm 31:20 - You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. - Psalm 61:4 - Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. - Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. - isn’t that exactly what Jesus invited us to do?... Matthew 11:28–29 - Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. - and of course Jesus was able to make this invitation because He anticipated His death, burial, and resurrection which would pay for the sins of all who would repent and believe – and therefore for those place their faith and trust in Him – we can then enjoy this kind of secure relationship where we find our refuge in Him… - that’s why Paul could argue in Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30 that we believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of promise… - or Jesus could say…John 10:27–29 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. - here’s the point –point to a person who’s contented – and it’s highly likely that individual has learned the ability to regularly take their refuge in God…you’ll find them early in the morning or late in the evening or at some regular time/place with their Bible on their lap and their list of prayer requests in their hand – quietly….quietly…taking refuge in their God…and they would say that’s one of their greatest delights… - God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him… - now, please keep in mind that this is a Messianic Psalm…so could we find evidence of Jesus living this way?... - everywhere, huh?... - Luke 5:16 -    But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. - 1 Peter 2:23 - and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; - Luke 23:46 - And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. - now that leads to a pretty obvious question, doesn’t it?...and please keep in mind that Paul said we learn the art of contentment… - so friend – have you acknowledged your sin and placed your faith and trust in Christ as Savior and Lord…and secondly, are you learning to be satisfied in God because of the security of that relationship?...are you taking refuge in Him?... - you know – that really defines much of our efforts across our ministry platforms… - Colossians 1:28 - We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. - so we want to be a church family of people who are finding our satisfaction in Christ… - we don’t need drug abuse, we don’t need alcohol abuse, we don’t need illicit sex, we don’t need endless material goods, we don’t need the world’s affirmation and applause and on and on – why?...because we’re finding our refuge in Him… - it also relaxes our expectations of others around us… - our refuge isn’t in having a perfect spouse, or perfect kids, or a perfect job, or a perfect lawn… - when you’re secure in your relationship with the Lord, you’re not so demanding of other people…which leads us to the point of verses 3-4 B. Because of a delightful family – vv 3-4 - and here we see both the positive and negative side of the point: 1. Positively - Psalm 16:3 - As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. - this is the privilege and pleasure of living life in community with others… - so we can surround ourselves with brothers and sisters who are also seeking to find their satisfaction in Christ… - and their encouragement and their example (and their confrontation if necessary) is such a helpful aspect of finding contentment… - Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 - Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. - one of the best ways to be a contented person…is to surround yourself with contented people…and think about it from the other perspective… 2. Negatively - Psalm 16:4 - The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;  - one of the reasons we want to find our joy and satisfaction in Christ and encourage others to do the same is because of the profound sadness and destruction that comes from seeking contentment in any other source… - ask anyone is drug abuse ever took them to a good place… - or explosive anger…or surrounding yourself with fools…or filling your life with endless noise and busyness and material things… - this is a promise and a warning from the God of heaven – the sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied… - think about how this plays itself out… - why have we had a community based biblical counseling center for 40 years?... - because we want to have gospel-focused resources available for persons and families in our town who are struggling in some way… - and we’re glad for the opportunity to point others to a personal relationship with God through faith in our crucified/resurrected Savior and a place in our church family where we can link arms and continue to grow together… - why are we glad that God blessed us over a decade ago with our Vision of Hope ministry for young ladies who might be helped by residential care?...because we love it when others are learning to take their refuge in God…and living life in community with other growing followers of Christ…it’s the power of Christ-centered relationship… - then layer on what is happening with our new men’s ministry…and so many of the other ministries around here…it’s people who are trying to grow in contentment inviting others to join us in the journey… - and by God’s grace it’s working in big ways and small… - someone was telling me this week about a conversation he had with  neighbor who said he wasn’t a religious person at this point in his life but he made the off-handed and unsolicited comment – “but I know a lot of people from Faith – they’re good people”…if that means – people who are contented and confident and finding their satisfaction in their relationship with God and others…we’ll take that, huh?... - last Sunday we shattered our attendance record…last Easter we had 2477 persons join us – last week we had 2740 persons at our 2 campuses… - and while we’re not interested in numbers as an end in themselves – we’re certainly interested in people – in souls – individuals who all will spend eternity somewhere… - we can also be contented and confident…. C. Because of our incredible stewardship. - Psalm 16:5–6 - The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. - the language here is reminiscent of the allocation of the promised land to the twelve tribes of Israel… - and if you review that period of history – not every tribe was equally pleased with what they received…but in comparison to what every one of us truly deserves from the hand of a holy God…we can all say that the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places…we have been given much… - Paul picks this same theme up in the NT when he says… - 1 Timothy 6:6–10 - But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. - As we walk through these verses – are you allowing the Scripture to do its work in you?...how would you rank yourself in the area of contentment and confidence in Christ?... Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have. - sure we all have trials…we all have disappointments…I really like what Piper said about that...Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be.  Grieve the losses.  Then wash your face.  Trust God.  And embrace the life you have – John Piper.Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have. - David goes on and talks about how we can do this… D. Because of supernatural counsel. - Psalm 16:7–8 - I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. - please think about the logical progression we’re seeing…how do you get to verses 7-8 where you’re reviewing God’s truth while you’re lying on your bed at night?... - it’s the culmination of finding your refuge in Him…and surrounding yourself with others heading in a similar direction, and learning to be thankful for all that God has given you…and then immersing yourself in His Word…you’re allowing the Lord to counsel you…and the result is a person who is contented and confident… - I don’t say much about this topic around here because I don’t have to…but there are implications to what we’re studying this morning to way we give financially… - you would agree with this, wouldn’t you?... - discontentment leads to greed, and envy, and hoarding our resources… - whereas what we’re studying this morning leads to generosity… - here’s an interesting stat…our attendance is up modestly year over year and when we look at what is happening right now in evangelical churches across the country right now – we praise God for the numerical growth… - but our giving this year…is up 11%...with me or anyone else saying practically nothing about it… - so yes, the love of money is the root of all evil – it’s a terrible god… - but when you’re finding your contentment in Christ, money can be a powerful tool… - because we understand that all these ministry platforms to others take money – God has built that into His world… - but we don’t want to just talk about inviting as many people as possible to enjoy what’s promised in Psalm 16 – we want to sacrifice financially to make that available to as many people around the world as possible… - and we don’t talk about this passage very often – but I personally believe we’re seeing it fulfilled right before our eyes…Malachi 3:8–10 - Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, “How have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. - the latter half of that passage is a promise… - and I believe the evidence suggests that there are a lot (not a few) people who are learning to live a Psalm 16 kind of life…or perhaps better stated – allowing our Messiah – the Lord Jesus Christ who first lived these principles on earth now live them in and through us… - but as a result – this is church is receiving an overflowing amount of blessing from the windows of heaven…   - so there are plenty of reasons to have contentment and confidence in this life…but Psalm 16 doesn’t stop there…it’s also possible to be… II. Contented and Confident in Christ When Facing Death - friend, if verses 9-10 don’t light your fire – your wood is wet… - Psalm 16:9–10 - Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. - and it’s an open question of exactly what David meant by all of this although it’s fascinating that Peter says in Acts 2 that David was a prophet… - but we know at least this – David knew his soul would not be separated from God at death… - Psalm 23:6 - Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. - but as we saw at the beginning – in two seminal places in the NT – Acts 2 and Acts 13 – both Paul and Peter explained that this was talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ – 1000 years before it occurred… - that’s why ultimately we can be… III. Contented and Confident in Christ when Contemplating Eternity - Psalm 16:11 - You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. - and the beauty of all of this is – our Messiah – the One whose life is prophesied in this passage lived this way… - He knew He could find His refuge in the Father… - He knew death would not hold Him… - and he knew He would return to the Father’s right hand… - and so – we agree with the writer of Hebrews…who calls on us to… - Hebrews 12:2 - fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - [Conclusion – Marilyn Baldwin’s memorial service]

Psalm 16:5-11 NASB – 5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. 7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. 10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to [l]undergo decay. 11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

REFLECTION QUOTES “Religion teaches people to be extremely self-centered and conceited. It assures them that god cares for them individually, and it claims that the cosmos was created with them specifically in mind. This explains the supercilious expression on the faces of those who practice religion ostentatiously: pray excuse my modesty and humility but I happen to be busy on an errand for god.” ~Christopher Hitchens, British-American writer, (self-dubbed) anti-theist “Religion is a system of wishful illusions together with a disavowal of reality, such as we find nowhere else but in a state of blissful hallucinatory confusion.” ~Sigmund Freud, Austrian neurologist “It now seemed to me that all my other guesses had been only self-pleasing dreams spun out of my wishes, but now I was awake.” ~C.S. Lewis, writer, literature professor at Cambridge University “God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of him is our proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean.” ~ Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), New England author, theologian and pastor “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”' Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” ~Acts 2:29-36 (NASB) SERMON PASSAGE Psalm 16 1 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. 2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.” 3 As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied; I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips. 5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. 7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. 10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.