Some great advice here on a personal level for believers – create in me a clean heart!
Psalms 49: Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble? To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed ---and though you get praise when you do well for yourself---
19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.
20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Psalms 50: God Himself Is Judge A Psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah
7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 "If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.
19 "You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 "Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
Psalms 51: Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from blood - guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Things to think about…
What motivates you to keep going in your Christian walk? For the Sons of Korah in Psalm 49 it was the attitude that man cannot redeem himself. As such the attitude expressed in this Psalm is that wicked men will fall but the Lord will redeem those who are His. Therefore regardless of the circumstances going on around you, praise God in the circumstances you find yourself in, because one day all men will find the grave. It is only then that what we believed about the Lord and how we lived our lives will matter.
It is impossible for a man to pay for the life of another man. God would not be satisfied, Ps 49:7-9. This is why Christ had to be more than a man, but God Himself. God alone can atone for sin.
God can’t stand hypocrisy. Asaph in Psalm 50 is saying the Lord is sick of those who offer sacrifices on God’s altar and yet live lives that deny His existence through their wickedness. Asaph says God does not want your sacrifices – he owns all the cattle and every beast and all the hills! He simply wants you to be thankful. He says this is the sacrifice the Lord is pleased with, Ps 50:23. Sometimes thanks and praise is a sacrifice when things are tough. But praise gets rid of a spirit of despair.
King David writes reflects on his encounter with Nathan the prophet when he exposed his hypocrisy when he confronted his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah in Psalm 51. David says have mercy on me, vs 1. The ability to repent of sin is a mercy from the Lord and here David receives that mercy. He asks for a clean heart, a right spirit, Ps 51:10 and restoration, vs 11. David adds to what Asaph says above by saying God does not delight in sacrifice or burnt offerings, but delights in the sacrifice a broken spirit and a contrite heart, vs 17. When these are achieved God then says bring your offering and He will delight in them, vs 19. Jesus says the same, He says leave your gift on the altar and be reconciled with your brother, Mt 5:23, 24. If you have an offense with someone in the church, go and make things right. Don’t let things linger. The situation only festers and is made worse through your delay.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sermon and reading topic for this week – Sermon “Facing your past – a testimony”
Reading – Acts 22:1-22
1. Paul shared his testimony on at least 3 separate occasions in the book of Acts (Acts 9, Acts 22, Acts 27). What events do you remember about Paul’s testimony and who he was sharing to here in Acts 22?
2. There are a number of significant things that are part of Paul’s testimony here and that should be a part of our testimony. The ones mentioned on Sunday were 1. Must use and focus on the name of Jesus. 2. Must testify to the Lord’s guidance in your life with examples. 3. Must see supernatural evidence of God in your life 4. Make it personal – share the tough stuff that shows God has delivered you from sin. 5. Expect a reaction. For Paul they called for his death, but for Peter, 3000 got saved. The Holy Spirit determines the outcome. Discuss each one of these points and their relevance in your testimony.
3. When was the last time you shared your testimony with someone? What was the reaction?
Prayer Points
1. Continuing to get quotes for café roof.
2. Pray for other building projects – the repair of the house roof and solar.
3. Recharge youth and Kids@Church ministries. Pray for Maddison and Melinda as they Coordinate Kids and Youth ministries.
4. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
5. Church finances to meet our new staff and to put a roof over our café.
6. Sunday’s message from Ps 42, 43 - “A passion for God” – Pastor Jay.
Praise Points.
1. Saturday’s working bee was phenomenal. Everything back and neat. Thankyou all!
2. Sunday’s Potjie was something to behold. The food was incredible. Massive effort by the Safas – mammoth effort guys and super delicious!
3. Praise and worship – thanks Beatty boys.
4. More new folk on Sunday.
5. Finances are picking up.
Announcements
1. Back in church next week. Bring a friend.
2. Recharge on this week all high schoolers – 6:30pm-8:30pm Friday at church. $2 coin donation. Melinda Fourie heading up this ministry.
3. Men’s brekky TBA. But will be down at Colleges Crossing within the next month or so on a Saturday morning.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
