Personally Knowing God

from "ESV Gospel Transformation Bible" 

"Here, David focuses on God’s faithfulness to him personally ( 138: 1– 3 , 7– 8 ), which extends, then, to God’s faithfulness to Israel as a whole through whom the nations of the world will one day bow in thanksgiving to Yahweh, the God of Israel (vv. 4– 6 )."

Combine with the thought from Gracestoration, lesson 2 'entrust' about a renewed understanding of who God is.

Living for Jesus

      I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.
            Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ga 2:19–21). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Jesus As Our Prophet Priest & King

Thoughts on Hebrews 1.1ff

Entrusting Ourselves to Jesus

22 Out of the confidence that the Lord is enthroned (v. 19), the psalmist encourages the godly to reflect on his justice. In contrast to the treachery of man, the Lord will “sustain” the righteous so that they will not be overcome (cf. 37:23–24). The oracle of salvation encourages the godly to “cast” their “cares” (lit., “what he has given you”; cf. 1 Peter 5:7) on the Lord. For a similar expression see 37:5–7. Calvin, after struggling with this text, wrote:

It is not enough that we make application to God for the supply of our wants. Our desires and petitions must be offered up with a due reliance upon his providence, for how many are there who pray in a clamorous spirit, and who, by the inordinate anxiety and restlessness which they evince, seem resolved to dictate terms to the Almighty.… and there can be no question that the only means of checking an excessive impatience is an absolute submission to the Divine will, as to the blessings which should be bestowed. (3:344)^[1]

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^[1] VanGemeren, W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 397). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Worth More Thought!

"ESV Gospel Transformation Bible" by ESV Bibles by Crossway - "Psalm PSALM— NOTE ON 46

"As Immanuel (“ God with us”), Jesus is the personification of this psalm. For Jesus himself is our present refuge and future victory. God’s past record of strong protection for his people is a present comfort to the psalmist; it is “well proved” (v. 1 ). Even if the unthinkable should occur—even the implosion of the earth— God’s faithfulness to his promises drives away fear (vv. 2– 3 ).

The Christian’s confidence is even more certain because Christ personally promised to be with us to the “end of the age” ( Matt. 28: 20 ). Like a secret aqueduct to a besieged city, God’s grace convinces the psalmist that the church will not only survive any onslaught but also will thrive in joy ( Ps. 46: 4– 7 ). Jesus specifically revealed that the Holy Spirit is that means of grace who causes “rivers of living water” to flow from the heart of the believer ( John 7: 37– 39 )."