CHRIST BEFORE THE BELIEVER

Psa. 16:8

Morning Meditation 3/24/14

"I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

John Phillips says of this psalm, "It is a michtam psalm. There are six psalms which bear this description, all are by David and all were written during the time of David's rejection. The other five are Psalms 56--60. The word michtam has been explained in various ways. Some think it comes from a word meaning to engrave, or sculptured writing. Applied thus, the thought would be that here something is preserved that should never be forgotten. Interestingly enough, each of the michtam psalms preserves the thought of resurrection. Some think the word michtam is mystical in nature, "a psalm of hidden, mysterious meaning." Others say the word means, "a golden psalm." Michtam suggests that this psalm was one of David's golden psalms. Michtam suggests that this psalm was one of David's golden meditation, dealing with truth so significant it should be preserved forever, although originally a personal, private meditation."

"No study of this psalm can be complete unless we see, somewhere in its shadows, the glorious Person of great David's greater Son. It is cited both by Peter and by Paul as referring to Christ. "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither will Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption" (16:10) is clearly a prophecy of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." EXPLORING THE PSALMS VOL 1 by John Phillips. I strongly recommend these volumes.

David chose to serve the LORD and keep Him always before him. Let us do the same.

CHRIST BEFORE THE BELIEVER IS THE OBJECT OF FAITH

Hebrews 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The word "Looking" means, "to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something." It is a present participle. This gives it the meaning to turn the eyes away from other things and continually fix them on Jesus. It refers to continuous action in the present tense. This helps us to understand what David was doing.

The "Author and finisher of our faith" reminds us that Jesus is not only the Author of our faith but He is the finisher of our faith. The word "finisher" means He is the Perfecter of our faith. Jesus as the eternal Son not only Authored our faith but He Perfected it. We have a weak faith. We can never accomplish a perfect faith. But Jesus did. When we study the life of Jesus in the four gospels, we will never find one time where His faith did not accomplish what He willed it to accomplish. There is a passage in Isaiah that reveals the secret of our Lord's relationship between Him and His Father.

Isaiah 50:4-5 says, "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back."

These two verses reveal the Lord's continuous relationship that He had as a man with His Father. God never gave our Lord a task to do that He did not obey with no pulling back. This is true even to His death. John 10:17-18 says, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

We believe in Jesus that we might be justified by the faith of Jesus. Jesus authored our faith and He perfected it. We do not look at our faith, we look unto Jesus who exercised a perfect faith in God. Our faith may be weak. But if we exercise a weak faith in Him, He exercises a perfect faith in God for us. Therefore, we look unto Him. Next,

CHRIST BEFORE THE BELIEVER AS THE LIGHT TO DIRECT

John 8:12 says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

We need someone to follow. It is not enough for the Lord to tell us where to walk. We need Him to precede us where we have an example to follow.

There is no better support for this truth than Psalms 23:1-6, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

The great Shepherd does not drive the sheep He leads them. The Shepherd finds a safe resting place for His sheep, i..e., "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." The great Shepherd leads the sheep to refreshing waters. The great Shepherd restores the soul of the needy sheep. There are so many times we need restoration and He never fails us. He knows the right paths in which we should walk so, "he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." And He does this "for His name's sake" and not because we have earned it. There are times He does this and there is no way we can claim that we deserve this kind of treatment. There are times in our lives that we are on a fragile edge and it may look like we will not survive but David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." He is with us when surrounded by the enemy. Therefore David says, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." It really bothers the enemy when we can sit and eat at a table in the presence of the enemy and feel no fear. Our enemy used fear to control us. So our great Shepherd removes the need to fear. The Shepherd gives us that special anointing that makes us takes wings and fly above all our problems. David expresses this in the words, "thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." The Shepherd provides a confidence that sustains us all our lives. This is brought out in the words, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Then finally the great Shepherd gives us hope for the future, "and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." Where are you going forever? The believer is headed for "house of the LORD." Death is not an end for us. Death only introduces us into the presence of the Lord to enjoy an inheritance that is reserved for us forever.

Jesus before the believer is the Light to direct. Next,

CHRIST BEFORE THE BELIEVER IS THE LORD TO OBEY

John 13:14 says, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."

The Pulpit Commentary comments: "Our Lord Jesus taught, practiced, and commanded. His teaching was perfectly true and wise; his conduct was perfectly good and right; his directions were perfectly just and authoritative. His instructions were sometimes verbal, sometimes by example, and sometimes symbolical. Christ taught the lesson of humility not only by words, but in his whole demeanor and conduct; nor was this all, for he illustrated his lesson, now by setting a little child in the midst of his disciples as an example, and again by washing the feet of his apostles. Many were the means he used to impress this and other lessons of moral excellence upon his disciples. But he always insisted that true discipleship was not in an intellectual acquaintance with his teaching, but in a cheerful compliance with his will. As Lord of all, he sought to bring the whole nature under his control; and as their Master and Lord, he assured them with authority that their true welfare lay in their not only knowing, but in their doing, his commandments."

Christ before the believer is the Lord to obey. Jesus is still Lord. He directs us through His Word and by His Spirit. It is not enough for us to know His will, we must also do His will. Next,

CHRIST BEFORE THE BELIEVER IS THE PRIZE TO WIN

Paul said in Philippians 3:8, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"

The words, "Yea doubtless," speak of certainty. There is so much uncertainty in this world. Even as the disciples of our Lord, we sometimes fail miserably to lay hold of the certainty of His promises. His promises never fail. We should be like Paul and say, "Yea, doubtless . .. ."

Then Paul says, "and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Paul is not a sorry looser. What he lost for Christ sake, was a glad loss. Paul was not complaining. He was happy to lose these things because it made room for the real prize, "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Who can read Paul without realizing that He did win this prize.. He wrote fourteen books of the New Testament, if he in fact wrote the book of Hebrews. Such knowledge is too wonderful to imagine. Too many preacher can tell you more about psychology, law, economics, and the wisdom of this world than they can Christ. May the Lord help us to know Him and be taught by Him.

We will have to "suffer the loss of all things, and count them as dung" if we are to win Christ. The things Paul lost cleared the way for him to win Christ. These things, the things of this world, get in our way and cloud our vision, and distract us from the real purpose of our lives as His disciples. Let's don't complain over our losses if what we have lost are worldly things. They are but dung, Paul says. Turn loose of these things that we may win Christ.

What is it to win Christ. It is to win the knowledge of Christ. It is to know Him. Who can read Colossians 1:15-20 without realizing that Paul won what he sought: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

What is it to win Christ? It is not only to win the knowledge of Christ, it is to win the approval of Christ. When Paul finished His course he could say in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

How many of us can say, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day . . ." Paul knew before he died that he had a crown waiting him. I am afraid I cannot speak with the same certainty as did the great apostle. I know where I'm going. We need to have as our hearts desire that we may win His approval. One cannot have the approval of the world and His approval at the same time.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White