WE NEED HIS SPIRIT
Psalm 85: 8-13
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A PRESBYTERIAN PSALTER - by Pastor Max A Forsythe |
There is an old Spiritual with the words: "Every time I feel the Spirit, I want to pray." That song came out of the despair of the southern slave culture almost two centuries ago. Other slave songs gave voice to the fond hope for freedom in eternity with Christ. Little was the hope for earthly redemption. However, when the cruel war came and was over, the joy of earthly redemption was dampened by the hard realities of survival.
Over a hundred years have come and gone and the grim struggles to finally experience the joys of freedom still remain beyond the reach of some members of the Black community. Well may we too appreciate the apparent slow progress in the building up of Christ's Kingdom. Not a mere hundred and thirty years since the Civil War, but nineteen hundred years have come and gone with so little to show for it in our time.
In last week's portion of this eighty-fifth psalm we heard the psalmist's petition that the Lord would revive and restore His Church again in his time. In our Call to Worship this morning we heard the passionate plea of the prophet Isaiah: "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down". NIV Would we believe it if He did?
Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones reports of an unusual revival at Cheltenham during the evangelistic ministry of George Whitefield. Whitefield reported that "Suddenly, during his sermon, 'God, the Lord, came down amongst us.'" Lloyd-Jones goes on to report that "Whitefield was a man who rarely preached without being aware of the unction and the power of the Holy spirit, but there were variations even in his ministry, and there, in Cheltenham, something quite exceptional happened, so exceptional that he makes a note of it."
God was in the very midst, God came down. That is exactly what happens during a revival. What actually happened, you may well ask from the comfort of this twentieth century? It was a consciousness of the presence of God the Holy Spirit literally in the midst of the people.
Yes, we well understand that where ever the Lord's people are present, there He is in the midst of them. But, how intensely do we notice? Perhaps one or two have a real sense from time to time as they are touched individually by the Spirit. But on on ordinary Lord's Day, how many, how often do we really experience His presence?
Why is it so hard to appreciate the fact of the Lord's presence amongst His people? If you would know it, then take a lesson from the Sons of Korah who composed and sang our psalm today. Lesson one is in verse eight.
What does it say? "I will hear what God the Lord will speak". Is this your daily practice? Do you have the peace that He promised? Are you able to choose not to sin a particular sin? Do you anticipate that when you turn to scripture that it will read like a letter from a close relative far away.
Lesson two is in verse nine. And this is the most important for us to learn today: "Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land." Yes, it would be wonderful if we could know the special blessing of what happened at Cheltenham in the last century. And yet, we whose hearts are filled by His spirit are charged in this verse with the responsibility of demonstrating the glory of His presence in our lives.
Our practice of His presence is poetically apprised in the next two verses. These images demonstrate the glory of His active presence. "Mercy and truth have met together." Do you love the Lord, then be faithful! Do you desire peace, then practice righteousness. The psalmist observes that faithfulness is the offering of those who live on earth and the righteousness of God looks down from heaven.
Here we can show our love by how often we faithfully offer our time to meet together for worship. I remember reading a church bulletin once that simply announced week by week that while visitors were welcome, church members were always expected! Isn't it sad that the average church rarely has more than one third of its full adult membership present week by week!
Researchers have noted that healthy churches normally have a third more than their adult membership in attendance weekly. Well, you are probably wondering how we stack up? Certainly you all know you are missed, I notice and send out a bulletin and sermons. So I do keep track. So far this year our best Sunday saw us with 197% of our thirty adults present. The lowest Sunday was 74%. Our average week by week attendance is 124% of adult membership present.
So what shall we say to our faithfulness? According to average human standards we are only 9% short! But what of God's standards, in measuring our love to Him and our faithfulness in showing it. As I was raised, I was always expected to be in Church. Once I became accountable for my own actions I sincerely tried to be regular in this regard. In that thirty years I believe I have missed less than twenty Lord's Days in worship. That is not perfect and only during a few of those years was a second evening prayer meeting available close to my home, so I know I have fallen short of keeping the focus of the Lord's Day as I always ought to. In fact there was a time of about three weeks duration that I decided to stay home on purpose because of the sad state of affairs in my area.
Not only was I missed, but I realized that something very important was missing from my life as well. Yes, there are weeks when I come away from worship dry and exhausted, but that is always my fault and not the Lord's. If we will regularly show our love and faithfulness the Lord will indeed bless our poor efforts.
"The Lord will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase." For the Israelites of Haggai and Zechariah's time, that harvest was material and spiritual. We who have so much in the way of material blessings may also hope for the spiritual blessings as well.
Every Friday, I am so worn down by the cares of a full week's work that I am exhausted. Yet, by Monday morning following the weekly worship I am refreshed and ready to go. But when I get back to school I usually have to take Monday to assess where my worldly students are in their ability to function. For the last ten years my supervisor has known that she will not get my lesson plans for the week until Tuesday, because it takes most of Monday to understand how much work my exhausted students are ready for.
By far the majority of them do not have the advantage of the spiritual rest and up building that could be theirs if they but worshipped. And I wonder if a lot of the stress and strain of business in our day is caused by fewer and fewer of our fellow workers having that blessing of knowing the presence of the Lord in a special way one day in seven?
If this reflection is not enough to challenge your habits then consider our responsibilities to the worldly around us. We who are covered by His righteousness have grave responsibilities in the midst of today's society. While the Lord our God may in our time again dramatically make Himself known, we have until then the responsibility to reflect His greater glory in our lives.
But, you may wonder if your little reflection is enough? Yes, every little thing that you can do prepares the way for his steps even as our psalmist well knew. As you faithfully seek the presence of His Spirit, may yours, mine and our small efforts begin to make Him known. Amen.
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Resources Used: |
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Kidner, Derek. |
Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms. | |
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Lloyd-Jones, Martyn |
Revival. | |
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Spurgeon, C.H. |
The Treasury of David. | |
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Foundation for Reformation. New Geneva Study Bible . (1995) Thomas Nelson, Inc. New King James Version. (1982) | ||
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Psm 085b |
27 September 92 & 03 December 95 | |