Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Let’s say The Bible is perfect. What’s the big deal? S30e24 Psalm 19
Let's say the Bible is perfect. If so, what is the big deal? What actual good does it do for me?
Our hero and knucklehead David answers this in the 2nd half of Psalm 19. He argues and exclaims that it is indeed perfect and declares his affection toward it. Then he gets to the nitty gritty. The Word is not without effect. It then comments accurately on sin, error and faults. If I listen, it can be a VERY big deal.
Join me and Asa for 7 minutes of thoughts on the matter.
https://youtu.be/LQQ6WpQGj7w
The Psalms of My Friends
Let’s say The Bible is perfect. What’s the big deal? S30e23 Psalm 19
I didn’t realize that the 2nd half of Ps. 19 is a lovesong to the Word..Here is his assessment of the Word first. What are the characteristics of the Bible?
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether. Law, testimony, precepts, commandment, Fear, rules
Can I stand upon them? Are they reliable?
Because this is true…this happens.
Absent the first…the second is not possible, not achievable
7. Law is perfect revives the soul
7testimony is sure makes wise the simple
8precepts are right rejoicing the heart
8commandmet pure enlightening the eyes
9fear of the Lord is CLEAN enduring forever
9rules are true are righteous altogether
David first comments on the reliability, dependability, trustworthiness of Word
Absent the first…the second is not possible, not achievable
Absent the perfection, surety, rightness, purity, clean, truth of the Word
It cannot have any reliable effect: soul revival, wiseifying, heart rejoicine, eye seeing, forever enduring, wholely righteous
David declares the reliablilty of the Word and the effects that the strength of the word then results in.
.Here is his affection for it. Here is Love
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
David will comment on his AFFECTION for this law: 10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Desiring Gold Sweeter than honey
Lovesong to the law of the Lord. Lovesong to the Bible. Lovesong to the recordings of God come down to man
.Here is what the Word can do for Him. To what is its effect?
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
The Word is not without effect. Its reliability causes results, is dependent upon it
Outcomes rest on the reliability of the Word
Here is one of the big Ones: personal exposure.
Here He gets to the nitty gritty: Discernment of my PERSONAL ERRORS, faults. Sins
When you put yourself up in comparison to perfection, purity, rightness, surety, and truth, something is generally found wanting: it is me.
Love the heart of David, don’t let me sin. Help me to be blameless. Let the word have this affect. One outcome: My affection, then my assessment of errors..
In them are warning. I could be doing this life wrong. I was doing life wrong. How did I know? You helped show me. I was indeed warned. I got to the warning. Then I got to grief. Best examples in the Bible of getting to grief.
Search me an know me Ps 139. Psalm 139:1–4
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
2nd half of Ps 19 is a praise for the Word, then a primer on what it can be used for. Don’t let me get this wrong. Let me assess myself in light of the actural rock solid truth. Let me look at my actual sin. This then, would fulfill the final stanza:
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
The Word is not without effect. It warns of errors. It declares sins and faults.
That is the big deal. If I meditate on it a bit. Let it sink in, it can be a really big deal.