Do you ever feel like you are a stranger here? S30e105 Ps39

We may be strangers here, but we are guests of the Lord.  Part of that is His call to be holy, which is the same thing as saying be corrected on a regular basis. I think this is true: to perceive His presence, is to perceive His correction. (tell me if you agree with me)

So if you are a believer, you probably should feel like a stranger and alien here.  Even his ways are wild: the Lord is asks each of us to be HIS GUEST in this short life.

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Transcript

Do you feel like you are a stranger here? S30e105 Ps39

We have recently asked, what does it feel like to experience the presence of God?What does the presence of God FEEL LIKE? 

I suppose that sometimes it feels like rainbows and puppies. But, Sometimes it feels like a HEAVY HAND. Perhaps even OFTEN it feels like a hand, which is perceived, because it is one of correction, as a HOSTILE HAND. It is the perception of His presence, yes, and of correction.  

I think this is true: to perceive His presence is to perceive His correction tell me if you agree with me

This is in Ps 32  HEAVY HAND and our recent favority: ps 39: 10         Remove your stroke from me; 

I am spent by the hostility of your hand.

This results in us, being sometimes, probably not often enough, STRUCK with our sin.

2 sam 24:10 But David’s heart STRUCK him after he had numbered the people. In a census that he disobeyed God in

This is a critical element for anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ

The spiritual walk is not walked before God without correction. Correction is not very fun.  Just hang out with a two year old for a while. Then tell them they have to share this toy, or it’s time to put their coat on. You can SEE them struggle with correctionOUTSIDE their face, what is going on Inside is being betrayed OUTSIDE their bodies.  

Ps 39 is the story of a more cunning sinner than a two year old. 

He does the right thing on the OUTSIDE: he guarded his outside mouth with a MUZZLE. That’s the good news But as for his INSIDE mouth, oh he made a racket.  

He held his peace OUTSIDE, to no avail, for his heart became HOT within. 

The more he mused, the hotter the fire burned.

He cries out in v.4: Lord, make me know what is the measure of my days 

let me know how fleeting I am 

He asks for Help to compare this temporary hot anger toward another human with ETERNITY.  Is this really what I want to be doing with my few moments here?

A mature believer fights the battles OUTSIDE—in this case guarding his tongue

A mature believer fights the battle INSIDE—In this case extinguishing hot anger with an eternal perspective on life, and a recollection that life is short., and lived before God, and to our point today, lived as a GUEST with God

He asks for forgiveness: deliver me from all my transgressions.

9: I am mute. I do not open my mouth INSIDES, and OUTSIDES

         For it is YOU who have done it.

I shut my mouth with the new insight that you give me as to my temporariness

I ask that these painful blessing from you:

         Painful blessing #1: your heavy, hostile, (from my perspective at least) hand

         Painful blessing #2: your helping me to be STRUCK by my sin.

         Painful blessing #3: your intense LOOK at me, my outside mouth, my inside mouth, my wrestlings, etc.

He then closes with the sweetest sentiment: 12       “Hear my prayer, O Lord, 

and give ear to my cry; 

hold not your peace at my tears! 

       For I am a sojourner with you, 

a guest, like all my fathers. 

I am a sojourner with you.

         A person living outside of his own country. Person not quite at home

A stranger, an alien yet a PROTECTED citizen

A guest like all my fathers.

         A TEMPORARY resident

         My fathers are all dead and gone over hopefully

         It is my moment on this stage of a life

                  It will not last forever, it will not last long

                  I stand as a mere breath

                  I go about as a relative shadow

                  My days are measured as a few handbreadths

This concept is not unique in scripture, either the OT or the NT

Heb 11: 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.

I am a stranger and a sojourner here for sure.

But i am a sojourner WITH YOU

My citizenship is in heaven

         It is in Your country

I am a temporary guest, like all my spiritual relatives before me

         But I am a guest WITH YOU

In closing

         Be our guest: Lumiere in Beasty and the Beast

         Lord is asking each of us to be HIS GUEST in this short life.

Here is the hard news: it will require some correction with the heavy, even hostile hand of God.  How else will you be made HOLY?

You are a stranger here

Here is the good news: You are a guest, a temporary guest of the Lord Himself.

You are a stranger, and alien here, because your real home is somewhere else: in heave.