This Week's Reading - Psalm 19

This Week’s Reading: Psalm 19

Hello Project Ezra, and Happy (almost) New Year! This week we will be reading Psalm 19. It is likely that at least a few verses of this chapter are familiar to most of you, as they are to me. But, as with so many other passages we have used for our weekly readings, the more you read the passage the more truth God reveals.

The first six verses tell us that God’s glory is evident to anyone who looks at His creation. This runs contrary to the idea that agnostics and atheists don’t accept the idea of God based on either the lack of or insufficiency of evidence for the God of the bible. His existence is clear, as clear as the sun in the sky. Those who deny Him are suppressing the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18).

If you keep this in mind, it will completely change the way your witness. I love apologetics, and thoroughly enjoy a good debate. However, you can’t argue someone into the kingdom of heaven. God certainly can, and does, use good arguments in the process of drawing people to Himself, but salvation is ultimately a supernatural act. It is God who takes out our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh, and no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws them. So answer sincere questions, and try to be persuasive in your speech, but be sure to keep your focus on Christ and His gospel first and foremost. It is the gospel that is the power of God for salvation.

The rest of the chapter talks about God’s law, and looks at the law in a way that is totally contrary to the way most people (and probably many of us) tend to look at it. The law is presented not as a burden, but as a joy. It is a gift, given by God to help keep us from sin. It revives the soul, enlightens the eyes, and is pure and sweet. It is true and righteous, a treasure, more to be desired than gold. How different from our normal view of law!

This view of the law is a perfect gateway into the truth of the gospel. Although God gives us the law so that we may be made right with Him, it is not through obedience to the law that we are made right. The law was given to us to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith. It is the mirror that allows us to see ourselves in truth, so that we might see our need for Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross.

As you read the passage and share the gospel, remind people that, whether they want to admit it or not, God’s existence is obvious to each and every one of them. And, since it is likely many are suppressing that truth in order to avoid the weight of God’s law, show its kindness. A good parent gives correction and disciplines his child, to bring them back into obedience. God’s law should lead us to repentance, not anger, or rebellion or despair. Encourage them to see their need, and to put their trust in Christ alone, so His sacrifice on the cross will cleanse their sin and save them from the punishment they so rightly deserve.

There is still time to sign up for the Ambassador’s Academy. I know I have mentioned this several times already, but it is such a life-changing experience, that I hope many of you will consider attending. Please apply today if you can. You can register here:

http://www.ambassadorsalliance.com/

and you can watch the promotional video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWBTcE_529w

Feel free to contact me directly if you had any questions or needed any further information. Have a fantastic New Year, and I pray you will join us again for Project Ezra in 2011.

For the praise of His glory,

Dan