Category: Old Testament

Create In Me A Clean Heart

Part Three: I Want to Have A Clean Heart for God (Is the Punishment Fair?)

Psalm 51: 10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Turn to God. Renounce a life of sin and rebellion. Let God create a clean heart within you. He will give you direction, love and the power to change.

It is not God who must live up to our ideas of fairness. Instead, we must live up to His. Don’t spend time looking for loopholes in God’s law because there are none. God is perfect, we are not.

God will judge us for what we are, for our own sin, not someone else’s. Each of us is accountable for our own actions.

2 Timothy 4: 8

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Psalms Chapter 51

2 Timothy Chapter 4

Read Parts One and Two of the Sermon, Is the Punishment Fair?

Part One: That Isn’t Fair! In Reality God is Fair.

Part Two: Grace Is God’s Gift

You Can’t Earn Grace

Part Two: Grace Is God’s Gift (Is the Punishment Fair?)

Acts 15: 11

But we believe that we are saved through the [precious, undeserved] grace of the Lord Jesus [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life], in just the same way as they are.”

Now, don’t think grace is something you can earn. This is God’s gift, His divine love and protection bestowed freely upon mankind.

Now to flip this over, if you think that because your mother, father, wife, husband, son or daughter is living a Godly life and (because they are part of your family) that their blessing will fall on you, you’re wrong. Remember, we are all accountable for ourselves!

Ezekiel 18: 13

… and charges interest and takes [a percentage of] increase on what he has loaned; will he then live? He will not live! He has done all these disgusting things, he shall surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

In Ezekiel 18: 13, the question is answered. “Will he then live? He will not live!” This is not only a physical death, but a spiritual death of your soul.

God is a God of love, but He is also a God of perfect justice. His perfect love causes Him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to Him. But He cannot wink or turn His head at those who willingly sin.

God takes no joy in anyone’s death. He prefers that we turn to Him and have eternal life. Do not rejoice in the misfortune of unbelievers. Do all you can to bring them into God’s house.

Now if you are living on the edge and you think you’ve found a loophole in God’s law, you are wrong. God’s law and ways are only one way. His way is love for one another.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Acts Chapter 15

Ezekiel Chapter 18

Read Part One of the Sermon, Is the Punishment Fair?

Is the Punishment Fair?

Part One: That Isn’t Fair! In Reality, God Is Fair.

Ezekiel 18: 19-20

“Yet do you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s sin?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has kept all My statutes and has done them, he shall certainly live. 20 The person who sins [is the one that] will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the sin of the father, nor will the father bear the punishment for the sin of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on himself.

We will say “This isn’t fair, why am I being punished?” Some people feel that are bearing someone else’s punishment. This can be true when we follow their ways.

If we are living in sin because we were raised in it, we don’t have to continue when we learn that it’s wrong. Once we put The Bible in our hands and read the Word or listen to a preacher of God’s Word, we begin to know the truth.

Now the people of Judah believed they were being punished for the sins of their ancestors, not their own sin. Now if you do, think, or are living wrong, and you know that you are, who can you blame? No one but yourself!

If you think that someone in your family has been living in sin and you are bearing the punishment for it, you are wrong. God judges each and every person individually!

Psalm 7: 8

The Lord judges the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, and grant me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me.

God searches our minds and hearts. Nothing is hidden from God. This can be either terrifying or comforting. It can be terrifying because you can’t hide or lie to God when you stand before Him. Likewise, it can be comforting if you know that His grace and mercy is freely given.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Ezekiel Chapter 18

Psalm Chapter 7

Read Other Sermons From The Gospel Mailman:

The Great Shepherd Restores the Soul

Part One: Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd

Part Two: God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

Part Three: Jesus Prepared Your Place At the Table

The Lord Is My Light

Scripture: Psalm 27: 1, 8, 14

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?(1) My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.(8) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.(14)

Scripture Commentary: Jesus brings the light of salvation.

When you walk in a dark room, you can’t see the furnishings. But turn on the lights, and you can see everything! The Lord is my light, and with Him, I can see the way. In His light, I can see the pitfalls, and the bends in the road.

Fear can be a dark shadow that can imprison you to the point where you think there is no way out. But Jesus brings the light of salvation.

Jesus is a strong tower; a hedge of protection.

This is what happens when you let Jesus in your life. He is your salvation, so why have fear? He is your strength and protection.

Knock on God’s door and He will open it to find you. Ask God and He will answer you.

We have all left God at times in our lives but take heart. He has never left us.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalm Chapter 27

Read Other Commentary from Psalms:

Take Shelter in the Lord for Every Storm

Teach Me Lord, and Order My Steps In Your Word

We Give Thanks to God, the Father

Scripture: Psalm 75: 1

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

Scripture Commentary: Give God thanks!

We give thanks to you, our Father, for sending your Son, Jesus Christ. We give thanks because you did not have to send Him. O God, you could have left us here to our own sinful ways. But because you love us, you sent your Son to show us the path to take.

Thank you for giving us what we need, not what we want. God, you are a forgiving God. We thank you for you are trustworthy.

God has no weakness or shortcoming.

The holiness of our God is terribly frightening for sinners but a wonderful comfort for believers. God has no weakness or shortcomings. He doesn’t lie, and He doesn’t tolerate, ignore or excuse sin.

Put yourself in God’s hands and feel the love and peace that Our Father has for you. When we put ourselves in God’s hands, we recognize that God has been our consistent helper for our entire life.

God has never left us but we may have left Him.

“Thank you for being who You are – Our God!”

Read the Entire Chapter:

Psalm Chapter 75

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Psalms:

God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

Go to God for Help. He Won’t Let You Down

God Has Committed to Forgiving Your Sin

Scripture: Ezekiel 33: 16-19

None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced that which is just (fair) and right; he will most certainly live. “Yet your people [who are in exile in Babylon] say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right;’ but as for them, it is their own way that is not right. 18 When the righteous turns back from his righteousness and commits injustice, he will also die because of it.  But when a wicked man turns back from his wickedness and practices what is just (fair) and right, he will live because of it. 

Scripture Commentary:

I have lived a foolish, wicked life of sin. And the God who loves me, had mercy on me, and has forgiven me. He has committed to forgiving my sin!

How does that sound to you? Your question is likely how, why, and what have I done for God to do this?

(Answer) Did you turn your sinful life around? You can’t be half-and-half and hope God will only look at the good side. Although good deeds won’t save you (only Jesus’s death and resurrection does that!), your salvation will lead you to rightness.

God sees the totality to who you are.

God expects you to make restitution for the wrongs you commit. If you repent and turn to Him, He will wipe your slate clean. He looks at what you are and what you will become, not what you have been.

God gives you the opportunity to turn to Him. Will you take Him up on it? God is waiting for you.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Ezekiel Chapter 33

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Ezekiel:

The Lord Will Answer You

Do You Listen To God Or To Yourself?

God Breaks Down Stubborn Pride

The Congregation Lifted Up Their Voice

Scripture: Numbers 14: 1-4

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Scripture Commentary:

When the chorus of despair lifted up their voice, everyone joined in. Certainly their greatest fears were being realized. Losing their perspective, the people were caught up in the emotion of the moment. They forgot what they knew about God’s character.

What if the people had spent as much energy moving forward as they did moving back?

They could have enjoyed their land. Instead, they never even entered it. When a cry of despair goes up around you, consider the larger perspective before you join in.

God puts us on a path.

We, in our own sinful way, try to leave it. Ask yourself, “If God put me here to follow his Commandments, who am I not to follow Him?”

Finally, God’s path is the only one to righteousness, to glory, to peace, and above all, to everlasting life with Jesus Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Numbers Chapter 14

Other Commentary from the Book of Numbers

Do Not Break the Vow You Make to God

Come to Jesus’ Banquet Table

Part Three: Jesus Prepared Your Place At the Table (Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd)

There are seventy-two psalms and almost half speak about enemies. Enemies are those who oppose not only us, but also God’s ways. David is at the table asking God to keep his enemies from overcoming him because they oppose what God stands for.

David isn’t questioning his faith. He knows that God will triumph. But David did not want his enemies’ success to be an obstacle to the faith of others. When we see a person or a group that we consider to be doing well, keep in mind that it’s only temporary, as we all are temporary. We are here for a moment, but what we do while we are here in the name of Our Lord will carry on.

Psalm 25: 2

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Perfect Shepherd, promises to guide and protect us through life to bring us into His Father’s house.

John 14: 2

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

God tells us He is our shepherd. Jesus tells us He is going to prepare a place for us, and He will come back for us. We can look forward to eternal life with Him.

Psalm 23: 6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jesus has a place for you in His Father’s house, and the banquet table is prepared. Your seat is waiting for you. Jesus paid the ultimate price for your seat when He went to the cross, died and rose from the grave. Jesus gave you the way to eternal life.

John 3: 16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 23

Psalm 25

John 3

John 14

Read Parts 1 and 2 of the sermon,

Part one: The Great Shepherd Restores the Soul

Part two: God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

Part Two: I Will Fear No Evil (Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd)

Psalm 23: 4

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.

Yes, although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will have no fear because you are my God, my Shepherd. Death has no hold on me.

I am a child of God. I know Jesus died on the cross for my sins. And on the third day, He rose from the grave with all power.

I know where I’m going when I die. Do you?

I will fear no evil because Satan has lost. He lost me when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He lost when I started to live a Christ-like life. God has forgiven me of my sins. I am a child of God. He lost because God comforts me.

God’s rod is my rock.

He is perfect, the true God. If I ask anything according to His will, He will hear me. I know that my petition is heard as long as my prayers are to His will. It is a comfort to know that God is there for me.

Psalm 23: 5

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

In Near Eastern culture during ancient times, it was customary (at a banquet) to anoint a guest with fragrant oil as a lotion. The host was also expected to protect his guest at all costs.

God offers His protection to you and me when enemies surround us. Sometimes we can see what God saves us from; other times, it may not be as obvious to us. If everything went our way at all times, we may say or think it’s all us and not God.

Read the complete chapter of the Scripture referenced:

Psalm 23

Please return next week for the final, Part 3, of the sermon, Jesus is Our Great Shepherd.

The Great Shepherd Restores the Soul

Part One: Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd

Psalm 23: 1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

The Lord is my shepherd, maker, Father, protector, the Great Shepherd.

Our needs are taken care of. It’s not what we think we need; what He has for us is all we need.

David is writing out of his own experience as a shepherd to his father’s sheep as a young boy.

1 Samuel 16: 11

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

Sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance and protection.

As God’s children, we are dependent on Him for His guidance and protection. The New Testament calls Jesus the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd.

Psalm 23: 2

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

When you drive by or fly over farmland, you’ll see the green pastures. What a peaceful feeling that brings. This is the feeling you have when you truly place yourself in God’s hands.

Isaiah 43: 2

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

God will lead you to the path of rightness. If you go your own way, you are going to walk the path Satan has for you. Don’t think that Satan isn’t waiting to lead you. Check out the following verses below.

Job 2:2

And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Matthew 4: 1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Now if the devil thought he could tempt Jesus, what do you think he can do with you? Without Jesus to protect you, you have no chance against Satan.

When you put ourselves in Jesus’s hands, you have contentment. Psalm 23 does not focus on the animal-like qualities of sheep but on the discipleship qualities of those who follow Our Lord and Savior.

However, when you choose to sin, you go your own way. Don’t blame God for the place you find yourself.

Psalm 23: 3

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

God won’t lead you to a wrong path.

He restores you because He loves you. He loved us before we loved Him.

God sent His Son to pay for your sins. And by sending His Son, He made a way for you to go to Him directly without anything or anyone intervening.

He restores your soul out of love, but if you are rebellious and disobedient, you are going against your own best interest.

Read the full chapters of the Scriptures referenced:

Psalm 23

1 Samuel 16

Isaiah 43

Job 2

Matthew 4

Please return later this week for Part Two of Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd.