All week long you and I have been studying the life of Gideon. Today I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to invite God to x-ray our hearts. Friend, turn to God for help in times of need. Invite Him to “x-ray” your heart and confess your sin… Let go of any desires that don’t come from God. No sin is too big for God to forgive. Today we’re reclaiming the joy of the Lord and avoiding anything that could entrap or pull us away from God. Today is Gideon’s edition of Joy Bombs in the Psalms!
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Transcription:
What do you say? We kick off today’s episode with a really bold prayer from Psalm 139, beginning in verse 23,
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
It’s Friday on the Bible for Busy People, which means it is time for Joy Bombs In the Psalms, I’m Erica, and all week long you and I have been studying the life of Gideon. A man who the Lord our God, chose to turn into a mighty hero. The Lord tapped Gideon to rescue the Israelites from the oppression of the Midianites. And then the story is great for a while. It’s a story of victory. It’s a story of “Wow. Go God, go Gideon.” And all of a sudden, near the end, we find that Gideon and his family are entrapped by this ephod, made of the golden plunder from one of the battles, and that the Israelites start worshiping it. And when Gideon dies, they forget, the Israelites do, the Lord their God.
And so, today I just thought it would be a perfect opportunity to invite God to x-ray our hearts. We already know that God knows everything about us and loves us anyway, but this is an opportunity to look at the x-ray, so to speak, with God standing beside us in mercy, in grace, in gentleness, and us looking him in the eye and saying, God, forgive us. We didn’t know what we were doing, or we knew what we were doing, whatever the sin is, confessing it and getting clear of whatever that thing is that you and God, and me and God, are looking at together. Because that’s where true joy comes from, right? Being right with the Lord, keeping short accounts with him. There isn’t a sin that our God cannot forgive. There’s nothing you’ve done that’s bigger than the cross, but sometimes I don’t know about you, but sin can kind of snowball slowly in your life. It starts out really, really small, and all of a sudden you’re like, wait, what just happened? So this is an opportunity for you and I to reclaim the joy of the Lord, to get clean with him. We don’t want anything to entrap us. We don’t want anything to pull us away from God, just as that golden ephod pulled Gideon and his family in the Israelites away from the Lord. Have you ever been on the beach with your family and maybe you see your mom and dad and they’re on the sand, but you’re in the water and you’re playing with your friends or your siblings, and all of a sudden you look up and you’ve lost your bearings. You’ve sort of swam away. The tide has carried you away from home base, from where your mama is under that umbrella. I think that happens sometimes in the busyness and craziness and temptations of this life. So what do you say today? You and I get back on track. Join me in Psalm 119 now, beginning in verse one.
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. 2 Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. 3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. 4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. 5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! 6 Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. 7 As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! 8 I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me! 9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. 10 I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
We’ve got to stop here for a moment. Put up a tent because right there, the psalmist is giving us something actionable to do. Do you realize you’re doing it right now? You’re reading God’s Word. You’re listening to God’s Word. You’re taking it into your heart. Let God’s Word crowd out any desires that don’t come from him. Right now, I don’t know who I’m speaking to right now, but I know there’s somebody listening at this moment and you want to hang onto your sins. I believe it was CS Lewis who says, It’s like a cat with a dead, a dead mouse in its mouth. Let it drop. Let it go. It’s not for you. God’s love is for you. His mercy is for you. His grace is for you. All right, we continue on now. I want to read verse 11 again.
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.12 I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.13 I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.14 I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.16 I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word.
This is my favorite part. This is a prayer that you and I can pray every day. Verse 18.
Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.19 I am only a foreigner in the land. Don’t hide your commands from me!
The way the psalmist is writing, you get the feeling that he’s parched in a desert. He calls himself a foreigner in the land and he says, God, I need you. I need your help. And we’re just like this psalmist, his name is Alla. We are in a desert. We are foreigners on this planet. This is not our home. And you can go to God and ask him for help anytime 24/7. He never sleeps or slumbers. So, take heart, whatever’s going on in your life, whatever mess you found yourself in, God can pull you out. Betsy Ten-Boom, one of the heroes from World War II says, There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still. So, if you find yourself in a mess today, you’re in a pit and it’s dark, he can pull you out. He can bring you out into the light of his presence and his friendship. You just call on the name of Jesus and you just watch your joy increase as you walk away from the things that are not of him, and into his arms. Until next time, you are really loved.
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