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
What does the presence of God feel like? s30e96 Ps32
I'd love to say that the presence of God always feels joyful, intimate and enjoyable. Sometimes, though, it feels like a HEAVY HAND. Yikes.
This heavy hand is directionally moving us towards something: forgiveness. It is the most important of life skills. Without the skill of repentance, your life will be an ongoing testimony to one wrecked relationship after another--including with the Almighty.
Watch and admire with me what David does when he feels this heavy hand of God.
Subscribe for more tomorrow.
https://youtu.be/x44p1nopS4s
What does the presence of God feel like? s30e96 Ps32
When God’s hand was heavy upon me.
This is a primer on how to be forgiven.
This is the greatest life skill you can ever learn. Most important skill in a family; in a marriage; in a workplace; at school; on vacation; in an ongoing relationship with a holy God.
David here is a genius. He has a phD in forgiveness. IMHO this is the heart that is after God Acts 13:22 he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
This characteristic features him more than any other famous human.
Elon Musk: richest. Usain Bolt: fastest. King David: most forgiven
If there is a more important life skill than this, you’ll have to tell me what it is.
If step back ask: How can we operate in a relationship with a perfect, holy, pure Lord?
Forgiveness just HAS to be a part of it.
Blessed Are the Forgiven
32 A Maskil of David.
.The RESULTS of being forgiven
What happens when you are forgiven? Is it a good thing?
This Psalm starts strong with the end in mind?
Yes! Forgiveness. Covering from sins. Counted as OK. Nothing to hide!
1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
.How NOT to be forgiven. Here is what NOT to do:
First, how to do this wrong.
Knuckleheads and forgiveness: a primer
Keep silent. It will eat you from the inside.
Keep silent. It will never leave you day or night.
Keep silent. You will feel the hand of the Lord upon you. Not the helping hand, the HEAVY hand. The OH NO I gotta do something about it. The exhausting, debilitating kryptonite of unforgiveness and impaired relationship with the Lord
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;******
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
.If this is something you do not want: God’s heavy hand upon me
HOW TO BE FORGIVEN
I acknowledge my sin—that sin is sin in the first place
I acknowledge my sin—That sin is primarily done against God, 2 people
I asknowledge My sin—that my primary target of forgiveness is You God
I askn. My sin. I uncover it.
I aknow. My sin. I confess
5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Let’s go back to God’s heavy hand.
God’s heavy hand is hard. It is also the greatest of graces.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart.
If today you feel His hand, His heavy hand, harden not your heart
The HEAVY hand of God is the greatest of graces available.
What is worse than God’s heavy hand? His indifference? His letting you go.
Him leaving you to the compounding consequences of sin.
The day when He lays His heavy hand upon you it will seem unbearable
And that is exactly the point. His heavy hand is a correcting hand.
Is that you today? Do you feel it? If so do not ignore. Make it right with the Lord. Make it right with the people of the Lord.
Charge is to yield to, entrust to the heavy hand
What do you do BEFORE you restore relationship?
You might feel pressed upon. Spiritually pushed in this direction.
God does not force repentance. God encourages it.
The direction by God to head in the direction of conviction, confession and repentance can be Spiritually felt.
Here is what it feels like: Here is what the PRESENCE OF GOD feels like:
It feels like a spiritual hand directionally
It feels like a HEAVY hand: burdensome, laden,
It feels like an HONOR: hey, I dodged a bullet here.
I get to have a relationship with God?!
I get the awareness to start to get out of this mess, this funk I’m in?
If you do not occasionally feel the heavy hand of God, I’d question whether you are a Christian at all, at least not a growing one.
You can even ask for this: Help me feel the heavy hand. Help me yield to it.
What does the presence of God feel like?
It feels like a hand was heavy upon me.