For These Reasons, Lord, We Thank You! (Part One), Part 1

Today on inside removing from Chuck Swindoll. God is on the righteous. He's never wrong. These never wicked. He's never deceitful leads us in the wrong direction were never mistaken for following his will, because he is righteous.

And even when wrong occurs, it won't stay wrong because he is righteous, and he will bring about right even out. Overall, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October America set aside the final Thursday November but no matter what country you call home every single day become an opportunity to give God thanks why well today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll will contend that when we study the character of God counter his attributes as described in the Bible. Our natural expression is one of wonder praise and thanksgiving were glad you decided to join us.

Setting aside the entire week to address this time sensitive subject that is giving Christmas arrives. We have Thanksgiving to enjoy not just joy but observe to do that for two consecutive Sundays want us to spend time thinking about why there is Thanksgiving, which may surprise you. When it began what it was about and how it affects every day of our lives, not just the fourth Thursday of the month of November. Really looking at the same song together. Psalm 139 which is fast becoming. I believe my favorite of all the Psalms and you will see why as we get into it together. We look at the first half today and then will look over the magnificent latter half of it next Lord's day as we expressed to the Lord why we are thankful and again it may surprise you. The emphasis of the song located. If you will in your Bibles I'm reading from the new living translation. Psalm 139 one through 12 for the choir director, a Psalm of David Lord you have examined my heart you know everything about the you know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts. Even from far away you see me when I travel.

And when I rest at home.

You know everything I do you know what I'm going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and you follow me, you place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand. I can never escape from your spirit. I can never get away from your presence.

If I go up to heaven.

The Hebrew says simply, you if I go down to the grave.

You if I arrived the wings of the dawn if I dwell with the far the most part of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me in the light around me to become night but even in darkness. I cannot hide from you to use the night shines as bright as day darkness and light are the same to you to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.or/studies. Another message from Chuck titled. For these reasons, Lord, we thank you Thanksgiving I just absolutely love it. Not so much because it's a holiday, but because it has the right name because of what it represents. Thought about when it got started and realize it really is an American holiday with American roots because of an American president to realize the need for it in the most unusual time right in the middle of a war between the states 1863. Can you imagine a United States president writing words like this in a proclamation to begin Thanksgiving is a day to be observed as a holiday in our nation listen to Lincoln's words, we have been the recipients of the choices valleys of heaven. We have been preserve these many years in peace and prosperity we have grown in numbers and will empower as no other nation has ever grown, but we have forgotten God we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own intoxicated with unbroken success. We have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace to proud to pray to the God who made us. Therefore, it has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledge as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. He went on to say, even more than that, but those words need to burn into our minds. That is the reason for Thanksgiving, not simply to name the things we have received not to be preoccupied with the gifts, though they have been many and because of his grace. They have been constant, but to be thankful because of our God and to remember him to reverently and gratefully and solidly acknowledge the one who is above us and about us and beyond us because his words are my sentiments exactly solemnly and reverently and gratefully acknowledge God I've decided to deliver two messages that are not really your basic Thanksgiving type messages. These are theology messages and I say it without apology. Theology is the study of God.

When you study theology. You acknowledge the significance of God. So it's observing and extolling the giver more than the gifts. It is looking beyond what we have and who we are and pausing to recognize and acknowledge him. I don't know the passage of Scripture that does that any better. Psalm 139 and I am going to take it apart and hopefully put it back together so that it makes even better sense for all of us. So as I set the table for the scriptural feast.

We will enjoy. Let's look at five things that seem to stand out even before we get into the details of the Psalm itself. First look at the superscription of the song do you know that it is inspired just as the verses of the song was the superscription well it is what appears just above or just below the title Psalm 139 look in your Bible.

The Hebrew says for the one directing for the one directing the ones who translated the Bible for us have added the choir director. No doubt that's what's implied or in David's day there were choirs there were even paid choir singers, choir members, so this is dedicated to one of the choir directors not deemed and also we are told, the one who composed this all he's identifying himself simply in the original of the so this is a Psalm from David's pin. We don't know when you wrote it. We don't know why he wrote it. We only know that he wrote now because it is a song.

Secondly, we need to think of it as a him is a song in fact the ancient hymnals were known as Salters and the early churches saying from the Psalter. They sang the songs. So this is a Psalm, a him and I would say thirdly, it is a him that his stances look at how many verses are in this all when David voted he didn't number this the verses they been numbered for us later in time, but originally David did write the stances. Notice there are 24 verses divided equally.

Each stanza has six versus each stanza has a theme which is often true in a him we sing now for if you look at this closer, you will see the him as a prayer. How do we know that look of the opening words of the Lord you have examined my heart a little later we read in verse 17 are precious are your thoughts about me oh God. Verse 19 oh God, if only you would destroy the wicked verse 21, oh Lord should not despise those who oppose you. And finally, verse 23 search me oh God, all the way through the song. David is preoccupied with the Lord will Lord all God five specific references and there's another one thrown in a little later. Toward the end of the verse but you can see from these statements that it is a prayer you me your mind all the way through the song so David and God on personal or speaking terms. Of course there's a dialogue going on from earth to heaven from a man to his God from the psalmist to the Lord himself. David was thankful it seems for four things about the Lord. I get these from reading the stances. Look closer now, Lord, I'm thankful you know everything about me. That's in verses one through six. This is called in the theological world.

The omniscience of God. Omniscience say that word with me. Omniscience do it again.

Some of you scared of it.

Okay, let's do it again mission.

It means God knows everything. He doesn't learn. He's never surprised, never shot never taken off guard. He knows it all past, present, future, everything verses one through six. Focus on his omniscience. When you get to verse seven look now I can never escape from your spirit. I can never get away from your presence in the new name several conditions. If I go to heaven if I go to the grave. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea. What's he talking about God's the presence here we go, let's sit together on presence so we have first what is omniscience say it with me, omniscience, and secondly, we have his omnipresence so he is everywhere at the same time he is no more here in our church meeting that he is on the streets or any street of any place in any village or any city here or anywhere around the world any place, or space in Earth or heaven under the earth in the seas around the earth in the heavenly he is everywhere at the same time and at all times. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. You never awaken him.

You never inform him since he already knows everything and he is all around us at all times.

That will change your life if you focus on it long you will never ever be away from his presence. You cannot escape on the presence now when we get to verse 13. This is a fabulous part of saving this for next time you made all the delicate inner parts of my body.

You knit me together in my mother's womb verses 13 through 17 take us, of all places, and of the most excellent place. The womb of the mother as the baby is being formed. This little embryo becomes a fetus becomes ultimately the baby at birth living from the time of conception on four God watches over every part of it and he makes certain that each one of us is made a certain way uniquely.

There are no two of us. You and you alone are the only you who will ever be made distinctly and specifically by God and he has that ability to do so because he is no omnipotent moment of work on that nipple text, say it with me. Nipple tent all all-powerful is never frustrated, never comes up against something you can handle never knows an obstacle never encounters something that is beyond him. Not only is he not surprised because he is omniscient. Not only is he there, because the zombie present. He's able to take care of whatever it is, should that be his will to take care of it then or later because he is nipple tent omnipotent. Now would you get to this fourth section he gets into the details of life.

Some of the things that that that that have to do with the wicked and the fact that the wicked go on and God is righteous and the and the psalmist is all concerned that wickedness takes place in and in the East struggles with that and he says they're your enemies so I have a right to make that my reason and you realize that God is going good and righteous and one of my sources did me a good word versus 19 to 24 God is on the righteous. I like that others in the divorce essay that together on the righteous. He's always righteous.

He's never wrong. He's never wicked he's never deceitful. He never lies, never he never leads us in the wrong direction whenever mistaken for following his will, because he is righteous.

And even when wrong occurs, it won't stay wrong because he is righteous, and he will bring about right, even out of wrong. At the end. David is so caught up in acknowledging his God. He says in verse 23 search me oh God, and know my heart try being know my thoughts and literally the Hebrews to see if there be any way of paying in me a good way to put it looked deeply within me.

You do that, because you know me search me out not so that you will find out something because God knows it all.

But I will find out some area of pain in me that grieves you that hurts you. That is different from the way I should be because you are righteous and I am not search me and reveal to me those areas, and then he says at the end and leave me in the path of everlasting life that I might live the kind of life you plan for me which is everlasting just getting started and what promises to be an encouraging week of Bible study insight for living is set aside all five days to dig deeply into Psalm 139 Chuck Swindoll titled this new miniseries. For these reasons, Lord, we thank you. To learn more about the ministry of insight for living. Please visit us online@insightworld.org will chuckle share a closing comment just a moment. So please stay with us. The first is possible that today's message has ignited some curiosity to learn more about theology as Chuck said the more familiar. We become with theological truth, the more likely will begin thinking theologically. Well, this is a good time to point you to a resource on our website. It's a topical page that will expose you to the practical side of Christian belief and it will equip you with the tools to explain your faith with confidence. To learn more. Just visit us online@insight.org/theology well. In addition to theology. If we had to pick one word that identifies our passion and insight for loving it would certainly be this one. Grace. Grace that we receive from God and grace.

We extend to others, but sometimes we encounter those who twist God's grace into something it's not Chuck. We saw this distortion come up again and again in our study of Matthew's gospel.

Few things are more awkward than getting rebuffed by a legalist when you're right Dave. Anyone who's been verbally dressed down by a legalist knows the ugly feeling of shame that follows is never been there. I sure have. Let me paint a picture for you. You made a foolish mistake you're at your lowest moment. You need someone to guide you to safety, but instead the legalist kicks into judge and jury mode drags your most embarrassing flaws in the public view, and then celebrate your failures like a rabid dog with a juicy bone.

Satisfying his craving for self validation, slobbering his way to the next victim, and the next and the next, look to preach a sermon here only to say that Jesus reserved his greatest expressions of anger for the self-righteous Pharisees who preyed upon weakness but with the same intensity and even more Jesus opened his arms to the broken hearted, the marginalized, the lonely and embrace them with grace, my friend more than ever insight for living ministries is determined to serve as a lavish garden for people all around the world who long to smell the aroma of God's matchless grace, a safe place where imperfect, sinful people or forgiven taught the truth and redeemed in this emotionally charged era were shouting matches were commonplace for people feel voiceless and overlooked and even condemned. Would you be among those who give generously so that we can spread the fragrance of God's grace to those desperate for a second chance today our needs and insight for living ministries are urgent as we wrap up another year. Your special year end gift will make all the difference. Please don't delay in your response.

Together, let's introduce people to the God who says, as Paul wrote in second Corinthians 12 nine my grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. Here's how you can respond to Chuck Swindoll.

Perhaps the quickest way to get this by going to insight.org/donate or you can call us your listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 by giving a donation today, you can extend the gift of grace to someone who desperately needs God's love and forgiveness.

Thanks for joining us in this worthwhile effort to deliver the good new. Once again, if you're listening in the United States. Our phone number is 1-800-772-8888 or you can also donate through our convenient and easy to use mobile app or get online@insight.I'm Dave Spike fighting and prepare for Thanksgiving.

Join us again Tuesday insight for living with Chuck Swindoll the preceding message for these reasons, Lord, we thank you. Part one was copyrighted in 2020 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R.

Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited