Psalm 90 – Teach Us to Number Our Days

Hello Project Ezra!  I pray you are having a great week, and that you are planning to join us for this week’s reading, particularly if you haven’t done so for a while.  I know how easy it is to get busy with our daily life’s issues, and to get distracted from our time with God and our duty and privilege of sharing the gospel.  I struggle with it constantly.  But don’t give in to complacency.  It’s so easy to find a reason to stay home, and stay comfortable.  It’s so easy to leave that gospel tract in your pocket, thinking “I’ll give them one another time.”  But we are not promised another time, and neither are they.  So if God is convicting you on this (and I bet He is), pray that God will put you in one of those uncomfortable witnessing situation, and allow Him to stretch you a bit.  You won’t regret it.

This week we will be reading Psalm 90, which has several fantastic lead-ins to the gospel.  Our outline will be focusing in on its mentions of the eternal nature of God, and the finite nature of man.  As with many other portions of scripture, we are reminded here that we will not go on forever, and need to consider our lives in view of eternity.  Thinking about the next life can be very uncomfortable for someone who is not trusting in God and His promises in Christ, so many people just try to push it out of their minds and live for the moment.  But as the word says, God has put eternity in our hearts (ecc 3:11), so it’s a reality no one can truly escape.  Like the human conscience, we can use that reality, through the working of the Holy Spirit, to grab people’s attention so they will listen to the gospel.  Let’s pray that many people are drawn in by the preaching of this truth, and as a consequence, stop to hear the gospel this weekend.

All for His glory,

Dan

INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROJECT EZRA

READ PSALM  90

From everlasting to everlasting He is God

For a thousand years in His sight are but as yesterday

Yet mankind fades and withers like grass

We are the created, and He is the creator

We must understand that relationship

God is eternal and unchanging

But our life is short, and none of us is promised tomorrow

(YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE EXAMPLES OF THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE.  TIDAL WAVES, EARTHQUAKES, RECENT CELEBRITY DEATHS AND THE LIKE CAN BE GREAT OBJECT LESSONS, AND CATCH PEOPLE’S ATTENTION.  HOWEVER, BE SURE YOU DO NOT TREAT SUCH EVENTS LIGHTLY.  TREATING TRAGEDY AS TRIVIAL WILL OFFEND PEOPLE, AND THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY SOMEONE LISTENING WAS PERSONALLY IMPACTED BY THE EVENT YOU ARE MENTIONING>)

Every one of us has an awareness of our own mortality

If you love your life, you should be concerned about what comes next

It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27)

The Bible says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)

All of us will stand before Him one day, and will be judged

If you are wise, look at yourself by God’s law while you still have time

Look at yourself in the mirror, probably see a good person

Look in the mirror of God’s law, see yourself in truth

May say “God knows my heart, I’ll be fine of judgment day”

He does know your heart, and that’s not a good thing

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence

God know every secret sin, every private thought

GO THROUGH THE LAW TO BRING CONVICTION OF SIN

God is holy.  Perfect, pure, separate from all evil and sin

God hates sin

God is just, and must punish sin (Psalm 7:11)

All our days pass away under His wrath

Though we may live 70 or 80 years, they are soon gone

Who considers the power of His anger, and His wrath according to the fear of Him?

Two choices

Suffer God’s wrath for eternity in hell (Rev 14:10-11, 20:11-15)

Have the sufferings of Christ pay for your sins

God satisfied the legal demands of the law, nailing them to the cross (Col 2:13)

God demonstrated His love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)

He bore our sins, by His wounds we are healed (1 Peter 2:24)

The best news, the greatest gift ever

Completely free.  Cannot be earned.

Good works cannot get you into heaven (Eph 2:8-10)

In fact, depending on good works will keep you out of heaven

Trust in Christ alone and His works, not on yourself

When you are born again, God changes your heart, so you desire to serve and obey Him

Changes you into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29)

So, how do you receive this gift?

Repentance and faith

Unless you repent, you will perish (Luke 13:1-5)

Christ’s message, repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15)

Trust in Christ alone, and His payment for sin

Could be only reason you are still alive is God’s patience

Waiting for you to repent and trust Him (2 Peter 3:9)

He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that they turn and live (Eze 18:23)

So turn to Christ today, and live!