Wearing Wilma Flintstone’s necklace S30e13

What if we could actually SEE un-holy PRIDE as a necklace around the neck of our fellow humans.  Who would have the rocks of a Wilma Flintstone?  What would the size of my necklace be?

Psalm 73 asks for a re-calibration of our spiritual sunglasses. 

Join me for 7 minutes to see if you look like Wilma. Subscribe.

https://youtu.be/oaJv_uOOEKY

Transcript

The Psalms of My Friends

The 7 secrets of a not-so-old song. Wearing Wilma Flintstone’s necklace S30e12

The Psalms of My Friends. Which is to say, SONGS of my friends. 7 secrets:

Secrets of Psalm 73

Secret #1.Christianity is all about almost getting it wrong. 2          But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, 

my steps had nearly slipped. – 

Life is fraught with peril even after you’ve been in the fold for a long while. Asaph almost gets this wrong.  You can nearly miss the mark. I can almost miss the mark.  If you are close to confusion, you are welcome here

     Don’t be arrogant. Don’t be prideful. Come at this journey humbly and persistently, daily.  I hope and pray this podcast is a daily help to you.

Secret #2.Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.          3           For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. I WANTED WHAT THEY HAD. I WANTED WRONG THING.THEN HE WILL DESCRIBE THE WICKED, UNTROUBLED, RICH, HEALTY, PRIDEFUL

SETTING THEMSELVES AGAINST HEAVEN

I got distracted there for a second.  I mis-desired. I shot my desires at the wrong target there for a second and caught myself.  Wait, I don’t want to end up like that.

Secret #3.  6           Therefore pride is their necklace****; 

What if we all had a necklace of pride that could be seen by everybody. What if a physical necklace would visually and publically represent the interior life of self-importance, arrogance for all to see. For some, their necklace would be a fine almost invisible chain.  For some, it would be a massive, throatthreatening, rock laden yoke around their neck like Wilma flintstone. You remember her, she is Fred Flintstone’s wife and has this colossal stone necklace. Apparently, This “I did it my way” thing is quite offensive to God.  He sees this perfectly clearly. We, however, need a more sensitive pride barometer.  Of course it is easier to see it in others than in yourself.  Perhaps the good Lord will give us special glasses to see pride as if it is a necklacearound other’s neck. Perhaps the good Lord would even give us eyes to see it around our own neck.

4.9       They set their mouths against the heavens****, 

and their tongue struts through the earth***. 

SETTING THEIR MOUTHS, AGAINST GOD

We all choose what to set our hearts towards: perhaps it is beauty; riches; health; power; heritage

All can be “good” but set heart before the Lord.

Set your heart towards the Lord. Entrust yourself fully.  Vote with your spiritual stance.  In the end, be found in Him.  Along the way, be found in Him

5.If you wonder how to figure things, do it according to His Word.  It is called in the business a BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW. Where do I get it? In the house of God. With the people of God. Hearing the Word of God. Reading the Book of God.  Can you say, “If you cut me, I bleed the Bible.”?             16          But when I thought how to understand this, 

it seemed to me a wearisome task, 

17    until I went into the sanctuary of God; 

then I discerned their end. I SOURCED MY ASSESSMENT IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. 

THE PERSON OF GOD, THE PEOPLE AND PREACHING OF GOD

Asaph the psalmist says, I was confused and nearly did this wrong. But I found the truth in the place where truth is found day after day.  Before God, and only before Him could I understand the end results of those who SET THEMSELVES against God and the end results of those who SET THEMSELVEs towards God. 

Thank you for joining me here for 7 minutes to set yourself in consideration of His precious Word.

6. Have a prickable heart.   21          When my soul was embittered,

when I was pricked in heart, 

22    I was brutish and ignorant; 

I was like a beast toward you. CONFESSION. REPENTANCE. REGRET. LORD, I WAS A BRUTE.

MY SOUL WAS EMBITTERED. I ALMOST GOT THIS WRONG

May we all have a heart that is strikeable by the Lord.  Don’t be so hard-hearted that the arrows of conviction will not penetrate it.  What might the Lord strike your heart about today? Be ready to be stricken.

7. All I have is you Lord         25          Whom have I in heaven but you*******? 

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 

26    My flesh and my heart may fail, 

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. WHO ELSE DO I HAVE BUT YOU.

WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, I GET YOU. LORD, TO WHOM ELSE CAN I GO?

27    For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; PERISHING! DISTANCE

you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. CONSEQUENCES

28    But for me it is good to be near God; BETTER TO BE NEAR THAN ANYWHERE. BETTER TO BE NEAR THAN HEALTHY WEALTHY ENTERTAINED SELF-DIRECTED, SELF-CONFIDENT, AND PROSPEROUS?

I have made the Lord God my refuge, 

that I may tell of all your works.

Throw ourselves on Him.

Conclusions

Be careful, don’t get this wrong. Don’t slip. us and others. Let’s walk through today with our pride sensing glasses on.

What are you setting yourself towards to day? WHO are you setting yourself upon?—The Lord, the people of the Lord, the book of the Lord

Have a biblical world view by reading the Bible

Have a heart that is ready to be struck if the Lord so chooses. 

         Let us not be too many steps away from conviction.

Whom have I in heaven but you? Nobody. Where else can I go? Nowhere. What people do I belong in but Yours?

I say with the psalmist: it is good to be near you.

Lord, give us eyes to see pride as if it is a necklace like Wilma flintstone around