In Psalms 10 we have three things the wicked of heart says or thinks. We might ask, what drives the wicked of heart? How come many seem to be so successful in the eyes of the world. Psalms chapter 10 covers these questions and more.
1. The wicked of heart say, "There is NO GOD". Psalms 10:4 ESV In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God." We know from Scriptures that the wicked who say there is no God is a fool, for a fool says there is no God. Psalms 14:1 ESV To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. 2. The wicked of heart say, "I shall NOT BE MOVED". Psalms 10:6 ESV He says in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity." The KJV says the wicked confess that they shall not be moved and the ESV says that the wicked confess that they shall not meet with adversity. The Hebrew word is "ah, raw-aw" and means that they will not be moved into adversity, evil, calamity, distress, affliction, grief, harm, hurt, misery, sorrow, or trouble. This is at best wishful thinking for anyone. 3. The wicked of heart say, "God has forgotten my sin and God will not see my sin". Psalms 10:11 ESV He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it." The wicked of heart actually believe they can sin and hide it from God. If for some reason God does see it, the wicked of heart believes that God's memory is like ours and that He forgets our sin.
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I grew up at my grandfather's place and he always had a huge garden. One of the things he loved to plant was row after row of potatoes. Therefore I grew up loving potatoes. Even today when I go into a restaurant and order side dishes I usually order two different types of potatoes.
If you grew up on a farm or ever worked around produce, you know there are many different kinds of potatoes. There are sweet potatoes, new potatoes, Irish potatoes, russet potatoes, and the list goes on and on. Well, since I love potatoes and since I grew up calling them "taters" or "tators" depending on your cultural preference, I thought I would write about the different kinds of "tators"in the church (the body of Christ). Did you know there are at least three kinds of "tators" within the body of Christ. Some of them are mentioned in the Acts 17:32-34 passage. Acts 17:32-34 ESV Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, "We will hear you again about this." (33) So Paul went out from their midst. (34) But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. 1. TATOR #1: SPECTATOR & HESITATOR ACTS 17:32 "others said, We will hear thee again of this matter" You know the spectator and hesitator. They always have good intentions and talk about what they "want" to do but never seem to make it happen. Imagine a football game. On any given Sunday during a football game you will have 80,000 people in dire need of exercise watching 22 people in dire need of rest. Sounds like church life. The Spectator typically... ***Sits on the sidelines and never gets involved in the game ***Has an excuse why they can't play in the game ***Yells and complains at those who are in the game playing ***Claims to know all about every position of the game although never proves it by playing. (Confesses with mouth but heart is far away). God doesn't want us to be spectators. He wants us to be involved in the kingdom. 2. TATOR #2: AGITATOR ACTS 17:32 "Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked." The Agitator typically... ***Stirs up trouble ***Is a hindrance rather than a blessing or help *** Makes fun and ridicules those who are competing in the game ***Acts in the role of accuser of the team God does not want us to be agitators. He has not called us to be mockers of truth but to the ministry of reconciliation. 3. TATOR #3: IMITATOR ACTS 17:34 "But some men joined him and believed" Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (2) And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Paul challenged the Ephesian church to be imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to be Christ-like in WORD, DEED, & THOUGHT. Make an impact on your world. Let your life bear the testimony of a redeemed life with the light and life of the Gospel actively shining forth. Touch a life, witness to a lost friend, and give to kingdom work. Don't be afraid of an imitator whose life is godly, and don't be afraid to be an imitator among others. 1 Corinthians 4:16 ESV I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 ESV (6) And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 2:14 ESV (14) For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, Hebrews 6:11-12 ESV And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, (12) so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 1. THERE ARE NO GREAT MEN--BUT THERE ARE HUMBLE MEN WHO ARE USED GREATLY:
Isaiah 66:2 ESV All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. In the kingdom, there are no great men of God, just humble men whom God has chosen to use greatly. How do we know when we are humble? It is not something we acknowledge. Yet the Word tells us to humble ourselves. We know we are heading towards humility when we tremble when God speaks. God is looking for a man who trembles at His Word. Such a man will find the Spirit of God resting upon him. That man will become a dwelling place for the Almighty. 2. MAKING A PLACE OF REST FORGOD: Isaiah 66:1 ESV Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? God asks for nothing but ourselves. Our beautiful church buildings, our professionalism are all nearly useless to God. He does not want what we have, He wants who we are. He seeks to create in our hearts a sanctuary for Himself, a place where He may rest. 3. THE SABBATH REST: Hebrews 4:7-11 ESV again he appoints a certain day, "Today," saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. (9) So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, (10) for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. (11) Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. In the Scriptures this "rest" is called "the Sabbath Rest." It does not come from keeping the Sabbath day. The Jews kept the Sabbath day, but they never entered God's rest. Hebrews 4:7-11 tells us about Joshua. Joshua did not give the Israelites rest. After so long a period of time of keeping the Sabbath day, the Scripture says in verse 9 that there still remains a rest for His people. This rest, therefore, was something more than just keeping the seventh day holy. God was looking for people where He could rest in the abode of their heart. When He could take up His place of rest in the heart of man then that man could enter into His rest. Our Lord Jesus spoke it best in the Gospel of John. Read each Scripture individually and let the Father speak you about His rest. John 15:4 ESV Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. John 15:5 ESV I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:6 ESV If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. John 15:7 ESV If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
March 2021
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