Thursday
Evening Bible Study
June
15, 2017
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Target 3300 words
Video = 75 wpm
The English word psalm comes from a Greek word that means “a poem
sung to musical accompaniment”, or in particular, “stringed instruments”.
The Hebrew name is tehillim, which means “praises.”
The book of Psalms is the hymnbook of God’s people.
It’s also the “Him” book as well. It’s all about Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews quotes from
Psalm 40:8 when he writes,
(Hebrews 10:7 NKJV) Then I
said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the
volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”
The author was talking about Jesus.
We’re going to see a lot of Jesus
in the Psalms.
Soul Music
Music touches the soul. It’s
“soulish” in nature. It touches the emotions.
We’re going to find every kind of
emotion possible expressed in the Psalms.
For every sigh there is a Psalm.
For most of us, this is what makes
the Psalms so wonderful. We can identify. We can relate.
If we were honest, even darkest
most depressing Psalms describe the very things we go through day by day.
It is my prayer that as we continue
on this journey through the Psalms, we won’t just look at these songs
academically, with our mind, but that we may also grow as worshippers.
Psalm 144 – Blessed Warrior
: A Psalm of David.
This is a song of victory, some have suggested that this was written after
David’s victory over the rebellion of Absalom.
:1 Blessed be the Lord
my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle—
:1 Who trains my hands for war
We might think of David as being a king, as a shepherd, or even as the
“sweet psalmist of Israel”. But don’t
forget that one of the most important components of David’s life was that he
was a warrior.
We might think that David’s victory over the giant Goliath was completely a
work of God, but I can tell you that you don’t pick up a sling and a stone for
the first time and expect to hit anything with it.
Here’s from our first time in Israel, and Terry Dawson’s son Jacob is
getting his first chance to use a sling and a stone.
Video: Jacob the stone slinger.
He hit me. Standing behind him.
Back to David and Goliath, David not only hit Goliath with the stone, but
he had the presence of mind and skill to pick up Goliath’s sword and cut off
Goliath’s head. Don’t try that one at
home.
David’s skills in battle ended up being a trigger for Saul’s jealousy
against David.
(1 Samuel 18:7–8
NKJV) —7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has
slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” 8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he
said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only
thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”
After Saul was dead, and the nation of Israel finally came around to asking
David to be their king, they said,
(2 Samuel 5:2 NKJV)
Also,
in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out
and brought them in; and the Lord
said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over
Israel.’ ”
Leading Israel “out” and “in” refers to David’s leading the armies in
battle.
When Absalom rose up in rebellion against David, one advisor told Absalom
to send a few men and quickly attack David and his men. Another counselor advised that Absalom gather
a huge army before attacking.
(2 Samuel 17:8
NKJV) For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men, that they are
mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of
her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not
camp with the people.
David was a warrior.
Lesson
The Battle
We too are in a battle, but one that’s mostly invisible. It’s a spiritual battle.
(Ephesians 6:10–18
NKJV) —10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His
might. 11 Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. 12 For we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts
of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We get lost in the battle sometimes and forget who our real enemy is.
We get to thinking that the people who are causing us grief are the enemy
when they’re not.
It’s the spiritual, invisible enemy we ought to be concerned about.
13 Therefore
take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand.
I was talking the other day with a friend who was struggling because he
doesn’t feel like he used to years ago when he was in a program dealing with
his addictions.
We talked about the kinds of things that are necessary to stay effective
and growing in the Christian life.
I think these spiritual disciplines are crucial in our Christian life.
Talking about what we need to do is one thing, but actually doing them is
another.
I’ve had this talk with others, and I’ve learned that until they actually
doing them, nothing is going to change.
14 Stand
therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate
of righteousness,
Truth: The belt is what holds all the rest of the
armor in place. If you don’t have a
belt, nothing else is helpful. If you don’t understand truth, nothing else
works.
Truth is believing the correct things about God, having
correct doctrine.
Truth is also about acknowledging things as they really
are.
I don’t pretend to be something I’m not.
If you don’t tell the doctor the truth about your health,
he can’t diagnose the problem.
If I pretend I’m not struggling with a sin that I’m
actually in bondage to, I’m not going to get out of it.
Righteousness: I protect my heart with righteousness.
Jesus has given me His righteousness, and when the enemy
attacks me and tells me I’m not worthy, I tell him I’m counting on Jesus’
righteousness to be okay with God, not my own.
It also has to do with me learning to live a holy life.
When I learn to sin less, the enemy has fewer things to
try and condemn me with.
15 and having
shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
The gospel: God has places for us to go, paths to walk,
and we need to take the gospel to move our feet.
Sharing the gospel may lead us further into the “battle”, but it’s the
whole reason we’re still here on this planet – to see people come to Jesus.
16 above all,
taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked one.
Faith: I trust in God even when
I don’t see Him or understand what is happening in my life.
The enemy wants to discourage me with the “what ifs” in
life. Satan wants me to be afraid.
Instead, I will trust and not be afraid.
17 And take the
helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Salvation: I protect my mind with the assurance of my
salvation.
While the enemy wants me to feel like I don’t belong at
church, God wants to give me assurance of my salvation, and I do belong.
Bible: The “word”. I need to enter the battle with
my sword at the ready.
The question is, how good are you with a sword?
Video: James Bond – Die Another Day
– Sword Fight
You only get good with a sword by practice.
18 praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this
end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Prayer: This doesn’t seem to be listed as part of the
armor, but I see it as the means by which the soldier stays in touch with his
commanding Officer.
Prayer is actually one of the greatest of spiritual
weapons against a spiritual foe.
Last Sunday all kinds of things were going wrong.
More than a few of our leaders were sick.
The toilets in the church all backed up.
At one point during early morning band practice we
couldn’t get the sound system working right.
At one point it almost sounded like it was blowing up on us.
We began to suspect that there was some kind of a
spiritual attack going on (more than usual), and someone said something about
praying about it.
But we didn’t just say we were going to pray. We stopped and prayed.
The sound system started working. Coincidence?
Maybe. I don’t think so.
Paul said that having done all to stand (Eph. 5:13), we are to stand.
One of the things I’ve been reminded of this week in the battle is that
good soldiers don’t quit.
Video: Hacksaw Ridge –
Please, help me get one more
One of the enemy’s chief strategies against us is to
discourage us through various difficulties, all while keeping a low profile so
we forget that we’re in a spiritual battle.
Life gets tough and people stay home from the battlefield because
they don’t realize what’s going on. They
don’t realize that there are more people out on the battlefield to be saved.
(1
Peter 5:8–9 NKJV) —8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the
world.
Don’t be surprised beloved when you realize you are under
attack. Put on the armor and stand your
ground.
I think even the unbelievers around you will see what’s happening. It’s a strong witness to see someone who
doesn’t quit.
:2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My
shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under
me.
:2 Who subdues my people under me
(Psalm 144:2 NLT) He is my
loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield,
and I take refuge in him. He makes the nations submit to me.
Lesson
Leadership
From Spiritual Leadership (J.
Oswald Saunders, pg. 28),
At a large meeting of mission leaders in China, the discussion turned to
leadership and its qualifications. The debate was vigorous. But through it all,
one person sat quietly listening. Then the chair asked if D. E. Hoste, general
director of China Inland Mission, had an opinion. The auditorium became still.
With a twinkle in his eye, Hoste said in his high-pitched voice, “It occurs to
me that perhaps the best test of whether one is qualified to lead, is to find
out whether anyone is following.”
It’s always a difficult issue for a leader:
How do you get people to do what you want them to? How do you get them to follow?
Some would recommend that the leader be harsh, strict, and tough on those
who don’t get in line.
Rehoboam made a big mistake when he took over after his
father Solomon.
Solomon had been increasingly rougher on the people, and
when he died, the people came to Rehoboam and asked that he lighten up a
little. Rehoboam asked for advice and
ended up following the advice of his younger advisors.
(1
Kings 12:10–11 NLT) —10 The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those
complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my
father’s waist! 11
Yes,
my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier!
My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’ ”
Jesus taught a different kind of leadership.
When the disciples were arguing over who would have the top leadership
positions in God’s coming kingdom…
(Mark
10:42–45 NKJV) —42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know
that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and
their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you;
but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever
of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a
ransom for many.”
I think sometimes I’d prefer to be a great leader like
Ernst Stavro Blofeld, who has the power to do keep his minions in line like this…
Video: James Bond – You Only Live
Twice – Piranha fish
I want all my followers to submit to my awesome power!
Jesus would prefer that I learn to serve and give my life
for others.
So what if this kind of leadership doesn’t work? How does this kind of leadership “subdue” the
people under you?
It’s all about putting it in God’s hands, and learning to
do things God’s way.
David praised God because HE took care of the people.
That didn’t mean that David didn’t have trouble – he still
had rebellions under him like that of his sons Absalom and Adonijah.
Yet God guided David and took care of each situation.
:3 Lord, what is man,
that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful
of him?
(Psalm 144:3 The
Message) I wonder why you care, God— why do you
bother with us at all?
:4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.
:5 Bow down Your heavens, O Lord,
and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
:6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and
destroy them.
:6 Shoot out Your arrows
Even though we play a crucial part in this warfare, don’t forget that God
is the ultimate warrior who fights our battles.
Jude wrote about another spiritual battle:
(Jude 9 NKJV) Yet Michael
the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of
Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord
rebuke you!”
I get concerned when someone seems to think that they are going to
single-handedly take on Satan.
Even Michael the archangel didn’t do that.
He let God do the rebuking.
:7 Stretch out Your hand from above; Rescue me and deliver me out of great
waters, From the hand of foreigners,
:8 Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right
hand of falsehood.
:7 From the hand of foreigners
The old King James translates it like this:
(Psalm 144:7 AV) Send thine
hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of
strange children;
Our version has “foreigners”, but the Hebrew is literally, “sons of
foreigners”.
We mentioned at the beginning this might have been written during the time
of Absalom’s betrayal.
Absalom was one of David’s sons, and he decided he ought to be king instead
of David. Absalom won the hearts of the
people, gathered an army, and drove David out of Jerusalem.
Absalom’s mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. (2Sam.
3:3)
(2 Samuel 3:3 AV) —3 And his
second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third,
Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
Geshur was a city on the north east side of the Sea of Galilee. In Jesus’ day, the city had become a Jewish
city, named Bethsaida.
Maacah was a foreigner.
:9 I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will
sing praises to You,
(Psalm 144:9 The
Message) O God, let me sing a new song to you, let me play it on a twelve-string
guitar—
Some have suggested that Psalm 145 is the “new song”.
We’ll do Psalm 145 next week.
:10 The One who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His
servant From the deadly sword.
:11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth
speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
:11 Whose mouth speaks lying words
Verse 11 is just like vss. 7-8.
When God repeats something, we should pay attention.
Lesson
Truth or Lie
In a spiritual sense, lies really come from the same source.
Jesus told the Jews who were giving Him a hard time:
(John 8:44 NKJV) You are of your
father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,
for he is a liar and the father of it.
There are people who learn to live their whole life telling lies.
Some people are obvious liars, but others are so good at it you don’t know
they’re telling a lie.
What’s worse is when it’s someone close to you.
Intimacy is related to the
truth.
Ironic that David calls these people “foreigners”, because telling a lie to
someone really puts a type of distance between you.
We might want to fudge on the truth with someone close to us because we’re
afraid of how they’ll respond, but a lie doesn’t grow love, it’s actually based
in hate.
(Proverbs
26:28 NKJV) A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a
flattering mouth works ruin.
Growth comes when we learn to
tell the truth.
(Ephesians 4:15
NKJV) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him
who is the head—Christ—
It’s easier if we learn to tell
the truth.
Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything”.
Because you don’t have to remember what story you told to
what person.
:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That
our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style;
(Psalm 144:12 The
Message) Make our sons in their prime like sturdy oak trees, Our daughters as shapely and bright as fields of wildflowers.
(Psalm 144:12 NLT) May our sons
flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like
graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.
:13 That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of
produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in
our fields;
:14 That our oxen may be well laden; That there be no
breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets.
:14 no breaking in or going out
(Psalm 144:14 NLT) …May there
be no enemy breaking through our walls, no going into captivity…
:12 That our sons may be as plants
Lesson
Spoils of war
The old adage is, “To the victor goes the spoils”.
When a battle takes place, the winner of the conflict gets the “spoils” or
rewards.
As David is laying out his life of battle, he ends with the results of his
warfare.
Family
David mentions the blessings to the “sons” and “daughters” (vs.12).
The enemy would like to take our families captive to do his will.
We stay vigilant and fight.
I’m not sure we can ever fully protect our family from troubles or
difficulty.
I’m not sure we can ever fully keep family members from going astray.
There are prodigals who choose to run from the Father’s
house.
David may have had a wise son in Solomon, but he also had
Absalom and Adonijah who rebelled.
Yet our families take a much worse hit when we ignore the battles and don’t
put on our armor.
Provision
In Gideon’s day, the Midianites used to come through each year at harvest
time and steal the fruit of Israel’s hard work during the year.
I don’t think God is promising that we’ll all be wealthy beyond our wildest
dreams, but staying vigilant in the battle protects the fruit of our hands.
Many a year’s harvest has been wasted on addictions like
alcohol, drugs, gambling, and sex.
Even when we are fighting that great “Battle of the
Bulge”, there are financial benefits from just learning to eat less.
My wife and I are trying to retrain ourselves to share a
meal when we go out. And I have to
admit, it works. When we do it.
God promises to provide for our needs.
(Philippians
4:11–13 NLT) —11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content
with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have
learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full
stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Protection
vs. 14 talks about “breaking in or
going out” which the NLT translated as
no enemy breaking through our walls, no going into captivity
Learning to let God train us for war can result in a new sense of peace.
We still face battles, but we grow stronger and smarter in
the battle.
Satan is the classic bully.
As long as you keep caving to the bully’s threats, he will
keep bullying you.
When you learn to stand up to the bully, things change.
:15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are
the people whose God is the Lord!
:15 Happy are the people
Happy – ‘esher –
happiness, blessedness
Song
D G
Happy, happy, happy, happy
D
Happy is the people
A7
Whose God is the Lord
D G
Happy, happy, happy, happy
D
Happy is the people
A7 D
Whose God is the Lord
D
Where does this
Happy feeling come from?
Where does this
A7
Happy feeling come from?
D
This happy feeling
Comes from Jesus
G
Everyday He more than pleases
D
That’s where this
A7 D
Happy feeling comes from
D
My way is lighter
My way is brighter
A7
Walking up the King’s highway
His ways I’m knowing
His love I’m showing
D
I’m walking up the King’s highway
A7 G A7
Well, it’s a
D
Highway to heaven
A7
None can go up there
D
But the pure in heart
It’s a highway to heaven
G
And I’m walking up
A7 D G D
The King’s highway
Happy, Happy / Author Unknown; ©1973 Maranatha
Evangelical Association / Happy Happy.doc