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cover of August09_2023_psalm67_1peter2
August09_2023_psalm67_1peter2

August09_2023_psalm67_1peter2

Adam FarnsworthAdam Farnsworth

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August 9, 2023 - Treasures In Christ - Psalm 67 JEHOVAH-NACHAH LEOM ERETS Our Lord God Who Guides The People On The Earth Psalm 67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples fairly and guide, lead, or drive the nations upon earth. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! https://biblehub.com/lexicon/psalms/67-4.htm Scriptures: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+67%2C+1+peter+2&version=AMPC Going Deeper: https://www.openbible.info/topics/guide

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The main ideas from this information are: - The psalmist praises God for his guidance and leading on the earth. - The psalmist acknowledges the need for God's mercy and grace. - The psalmist thanks God for Jesus' sacrifice and saving power. - The psalmist recognizes the kingdom work of making God's way known on earth. - The psalmist emphasizes the importance of repentance and gratitude. - The psalmist highlights the role of praise and joy in the kingdom. - The psalmist acknowledges God as the ultimate judge who guides and leads the nations. - The psalmist encourages all people to praise God and turn away from idols. - The psalmist sees the harvest as evidence of God's approval and blessing. - The psalmist believes that the ends of the earth will fear God. August 9th, 2023, Treasures in Christ, Psalm 67, Jehovah Nacha Leom Eretz, our Lord God who guides the people on the earth. Psalm 67, 4, O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the people fairly and guide, lead, or drive the nations upon the earth. Salaah, pause and calmly think of that. O Heavenly Father, we're just so grateful for a new day that you kept us through the night and you gave us another chance today, Father God, to come into this place, the place of sacrifice and worship, where we are trying to bring our whole lives this morning to you, Father God, to release it for your transforming power to have its way as you lead and guide us on the earth. What a beautiful characteristic of you, knowing that in the midst of it all, you're guiding and leading us. As my beautiful wife said this morning, you know, if the Holy Spirit is giving you the direction, we may want to move in that way. And so we just thank you for that guidance, that you're long-suffering with us and deal with all of our idiocracy with your loving kindness, your mercy, and your grace. We thank you for the saving power that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, did as he went to Calvary to put to death every one of our stupid deeds, our sinful deeds, our transgressions against you, Lord, that we can walk in his righteousness in this process of refining, as we learned the other day, Lord, that you refine us like silvers refine. So as you take away the dross, as you take away those impurities that are in us, making us holy, setting us apart, we know that we have your guidance and direction in the process. So we thank you for this truth today, Father, Lord. Transform me by it. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen and amen. Good morning. I'm encouraged today. I'm excited to get into this seven-verse psalm. It's amazing somehow to get so short and still contain so much. Psalm 67, verse 1. God be merciful and gracious to us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us and among us. So I'll pause and calmly think of that. You know, it's amazing when we start to look at this. I just love the way the psalms seem to always start out with this mercy and grace. Because it's a recognition of our need for God, and when we see the name God there in lieu of the name Lord, we know we're talking about the overriding principles and dictations of the kingdom, the representation of the kingdom. And it's mercy and grace that wins the day, and like we saw from the last psalm, this is the blessing. This is the blessing. It's not anything temporal. This is the eternal blessing that God shows us mercy and grace. And when his face shines upon us, I love the way this is a group conversation he's having here. Be gracious to us and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us and among us. See, as he looks down from heaven and he's operating in our lives, and the glory of God comes pouring forth out of us as he works in us and through us, this is what he's talking about. What a beautiful place to be. He's talking about sacrificial worship here. He's talking about operating in the kingdom. In one verse, he summarized a nice, poetic way to look at the kingdom, which is the overruling power, the mercy and the grace, which is the blessing, which is God's face shining upon us, and then he shines in and through us. What a beautiful scripture. Verse 2, that your way may be known upon the earth. This is why God does it. This is kingdom work. He wants none to perish. It's not a complicated matter. He didn't make it complicated. He made it super easy and simple even a child can understand. As God operates in and through us and shows us his grace and mercy, which is the blessing of God, and he's shining out in us and through us, then his way is being made known upon the earth. This is what pours forth the witness. This is the very witness. It says in the New Testament, without our love for one another, no one will see Jesus. This is what he's talking about. And this is why I love the way he used the plural in this psalm to show us in the kingdom it's not a solo operation. So we find ourselves dividing and segregating. Well, maybe we've gone off course and we need to search out and test and examine our ways so that we can return unto the Lord. And he goes on to say in verse 2, because we want to, you know, so his way, that's the way into relationship. That's the way of God, the way of the kingdom, the way of relationship, and comma, your saving power, your deliverances and your salvation among all the nations. Because at the end of the day, that's what it is. It's God's ability to save us into this relationship and deliver us from all of our own iniquity where our flesh wants to go its own way. So we get the deliverance and the salvation from God. He has the power over all these things. And it is the power to save. Because at the end of the day, he wants none to perish but all to come to repentance. That's the purpose of the kingdom. That's the purpose of God creating us. That's the purpose of Jesus coming. That's the purpose of the giving of the Holy Spirit. That is the very purpose that we saw the other day where he sets us, gives us the purpose and sets our feet on solid rock in the purpose. He gives us place and purpose and then holds us there and keeps our feet from slipping. It was a beautiful truth. And we see this right here. This is the kingdom of God right here. This is the operating procedure, the S.O.P. of the kingdom of God. Verse 3, it says, Let the peoples praise you, turn away from their idols and give thanks to you. See, and at the end of the day we know that as God calls those as he's lifted up and others are drawn to him and he calls them and he fulfills the promise of salvation and deliverance of their life, praise forth, forth. And it's that repentant moment, that's why it says turn away from their idols and give thanks to you because there'll be a heart of gratitude for God desiring that relationship. There's this place of gratitude when we stop to think about God wanting, creating us for relationship. It's a beautiful thing. And when he fulfills that promise of salvation, it pours forth praise from us. And we see this is the repentant part. This is the access into the kingdom here. Oh God, let all the peoples praise and give thanks to you. And this is the desire of the psalm writer and should be the desire of the kingdom of God and every child of God is that none would perish. Just like God's desire that none should perish but all should come to repentance. Verse four, oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy. And again joy is that fulfilled promise in our life, a heart of gratitude and it pours forth praise. For you will judge the people fairly and guide and lead or drive the nations upon the earth. See God is the commanding officer. He is the commander in chief. He comes in and he judges the things that we need to be delivered from and of course the salvation. But he is the ultimate judge. He is the perfect judge, the all powerful judge. His dictates rule. And he does it fairly and I love the way that it says this fairly because you understand God is no respecter of persons. What he'll do for me, he'll do for you and the way he'll discipline me, he'll discipline you. Now he'll adjust it so that each of us receives the blessing of the discipline in the way that we need. And this is what guides and leads and drives us. It's the discipline through the power of the Holy Spirit giving us the insight, taking the very truth of God and transferring it into what we can know in our heart and be led by in our heart as he moves us there. You know we don't want to take just the truth and not the spirit or we might find ourselves thinking we need to go off to Jerusalem or something else. We see these scriptures here where they go to different locations and we say well I need to go to that location too and that's just operating just in the truth. That's a simple example. This is not the guidance he's talking about. This is not the leading and the drive he's talking about. This is what's coming from the inner man, the joy that's forced forth in song and singing, the gladness of heart. This is a heart thing. So he's coming in and he's delivering us where we need to deliver. He's saving us and he's guiding and leading us fairly and driving us, giving us the ambition, the desire to do what pleases him. So we have a salat here. So let's read these three together. Salat, pause and calm the faith. Beautiful. Verse 5. Let the peoples praise you, turn away from their idols and give thanks to you. That's that place of repentance. He's repeating it for the sake of its importance. Let all peoples praise and give thanks to you. That's God's desire. God's desire is that none should perish but all should come into repentance. Verse 6. The earth has yielded its harvest in evidence of God's approval. God, even our own God, will bless us. See this is where we've got to get the spirit and truth because if we think he's only talking about crops we've missed it. It's saying, using symbolism here to show us that when the earth yields its harvest is proof that God is approved of that growing process. And it's the same in the body of Christ. When we see that the fruitful harvest that comes from God's children we see the approval of God. And I like how he makes it so personal at the end of verse 6. Even our own God will bless us. See. Beautiful thing. It's intimate and it's showing the fruitfulness and this is the sign of God's approval. When the fruitfulness pours forth, when we're reaping a harvest of fruit then we know that God has been approved, has approved us. Verse 7. God will bless us and all the ends of the earth shall reverently fear him. See again and we know the blessing. We go back to that mercy and grace. That's what the blessing is. God be merciful and gracious and bless us. This is the blessing. And this is what others see. This is what witnesses to others. They see the grace and the mercy operated in our own life because we do idiotic things like everyone else. But yet God comes in and starts to transform us. And no longer we start to be transformed in the way that we used to operate into the newness of life that he's called us into. And this brings people into this place of reverent fear and awe of God because of his awesomeness. And it knows no bounds. Wow, what a beautiful short little psalm. What a beautiful passage about the kingdom work and about what our heart should be as far as those that are not in relationship with God should be. It's a reminder that God wants everyone to come into repentance. All to turn to him and come to repentance, into relationship. So he just led me to 1 Peter 2. We're going to take a look at that New Testament and see if we can get some brass tacks of this kingdom attitude that we're talking about. 1 Peter 2.1 says, See that's an amazing list of things that I would think that most people could find something in there. If we search out and test and examine our ways, we could find something in there that we allow our flesh to operate in that way. But what did we see up ahead there? We can't ever forget the brass tacks of God's mercy and grace. Mercy is an indicator that we're not getting what we deserve. Grace is an indicator of getting what we don't deserve. This is the blessing of God. This is so we can be fruitful in the kingdom for God's approval. Well this stuff here is the fruit of the flesh. This is not going to bring approval. So he's given us some pro tips here. Some cheat codes as some might say. For us when we're searching out, testing and examining our ways. And let's see what our motivation needs to be. It says in verse 2, See this is why it's not just how smart I can be. It's what the Spirit can do in me through the power of the Word of God. That's the written Word of God and that's the Word of God that's in me at all times because the Holy Spirit is the Word of God. But if I can't read and I'm blind and I'm dumb and deaf and whatever. I have no capacity to read. Then you would still qualify for the spiritual milk. And you want the pure unadulterated spiritual milk. We don't want our own agenda in it. We want God's agenda only in it. And what he's saying is we want to be craving this. We want to be craving this stuff, this transforming process. And I think about my own wine bibbing and things that I do. And how once I give that foothold to that flesh, part of my flesh. Then what will happen is I will begin to crave it. And it's the same way here. And we think about a newborn baby and the trust that a newborn baby has. It has to have really because you can't walk, talk or do nothing. So it's going to have to have some degree of trust as it goes along. So it's giving us an indicator that it has to be this faith and trust in God. And when we do that, that's why he's saying you should crave. And this is why we have to develop this craving. It's not just he's not going to hit us with the crave stick. And then all of a sudden we're going to just crave pure unadulterated spiritual milk. I mean the flesh wants what it wants. And this is why it's a heavy burden on our loins as we read the other day. As we have to pick up our cross daily to put the dead to deeds of the flesh. That's why his burden is easy and his burden is light. Because ours is heavy and he's carried ours. But that's when we are looking with flesh. When we're looking with gospels we can get underneath his yoke. I love this newborn baby's indicator of faith and trust. And the craving is a process. It's a thirst for and earnestly desiring. It's something we get from the heart. Well we've got to be in the secret place of the Most High. Under His grace and hand of grace and mercy. And being transformed by Him and be led and guided by Him as the psalm just mentioned. For us to get into a position to start to crave the pure unadulterated spiritual milk. I think a lot of times it's easy, especially for myself, to get sidetracked with just how smart I can be with the Word. And this is keeping us rooted and grounded in the spiritual truth. The spirit and the truth of it. And He just wants us to crave it and desire it and be earnest about wanting it. And we do that. The more that we come into that place, the more we're going to be craving it. That was the point of the wine bibbing. Because the more I came into that place, the more I crave it. And it's the same thing with God. We have to come fully trusting in the secret place of the Most High. Craving the pure unadulterated spiritual milk. The pureness coming directly from the throne room. That by it you may be nurtured and grow unto completed salvation. And here's just a reminder that it's not a, you raise your hand one day and it's a done deal. Now if you're the thief on the cross and you raised your hand that day, yeah, I guess it would have been a done deal. Because his life ended that day. But the reality is it's a growing process. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We have the right to become the children of God. The sons and daughters of God. Reflecting God. We do that by taking the spiritual milk, by craving it, by being nurtured by it. By allowing it to grow us and change us and transform us. This is the whole thing. We're being transformed in the likeness of Christ. So that on that final day, when the bride is presented to the bridegroom, which is Jesus Christ. Then we're adorned in the proper adornment. And it isn't how good we are. That's the beautiful thing about it. And he's going to kind of reiterate that in verse 3 here just to remind us. Since you have already tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord. That's the leader. That's the one leading. Because Jesus led the way in all of this. It's the goodness of God. It's the kindness of God. To have given us, you know, when somebody comes and gives us insights, information to help us do something along the way. Maybe a map to get to a certain location. That's kindness and goodness. You know what I mean? And we know. But he's not talking about a map, of course. But I would use that as an example. With the map, you know, they're giving us that insight we need to get where we're going. And it's an act of kindness and goodness. Jesus has given us the map on where we need to go to crave. This is why every morning he woke up and he went to a quiet place to pray. Every night he went away to a quiet place to pray. A lot of times during the day he went up to the mountain to pray. Because he needed to eat. Because he not needed. Because he craved the pure, unadulterated spiritual milk. And he was nurtured by it and he grew by it. And it's amazing when we see the passages where Jesus would go to the temple and teach. And they said he taught as someone with authority. Yet he had not ever went through the studying process of studying the scriptures. Because he was getting the pure, unadulterated spiritual milk. This is why we have to be cautious with the scriptures too. Because we can easily twist them out of and try to put them in our agenda. And then it's no longer the unadulterated spiritual milk. And we won't be able to grow, be nurtured and grow unto salvation. Completed salvation. And since we have already tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord. To lead us along in the way. To show us the way to go. To show us to stay bunkered down in the secret place. In the midst of trial and temptation. We see what Jesus did all three times. He put it all back on the Father. The Father's in charge. And as an example of one way he's given us his kindness and goodness. And given us the map. The standing operating procedures of what to do when the tempter comes. We stay bunkered down in the secret place most highly. And God is, we say, submitted under his powerful hand like Jesus did. And the devil flees from us. Just like he did Jesus. So this is what he means by since you've already tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord. Because the Lord has already walked the walk and he's already done this. He had no deceit in him. And he showed us the way to go. Which is under the powerful hand of God. Come to him then to that living stone which men tried and threw away. See this is the chief cornerstone. Jesus Christ. Because he was the first born in the kingdom. He was the first born and the only perfect. That's why he's the entrance gateway into the very kingdom. Come to him then to that living stone which men tried and threw away. But which is chosen and precious in God's sight. Come and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house. Again we're reminded heavily in this passage. That this kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. God is spirit so those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. So we are being built up. We are being transformed into this spiritual house. As the Holy Spirit puts to death the deeds of the flesh. That's the building up of the spiritual house. Where's the house? Where's the house? It's inside of us. We are the temple of God. And that's why he's purging from us the things of the flesh. That we can be transformed into the likeness of Christ. So he says come and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house. We have to choose to come. For a holy, dedicated, consecrated priesthood. To offer up those spiritual sacrifices. That are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. See because of the righteousness of Christ. We qualify to have the deeds removed from us. Without seeing the full brunt of God's wrath. This is why mercy and grace are an option for us. It's by grace through faith that we are saved. Getting something we don't deserve. This is why Jesus Christ had to be the one who qualifies us to get something we don't deserve. For thus it stands in scripture. Behold I lay in Zion. That's the body of Christ. A chosen honored precious chief cornerstone. Jesus Christ of course. And he who believes in him. Who adheres to trust in him. There's that faith we were talking about. Who adheres to trust in him. Relies on him. Shall never be disappointed. Or put to shame. See we just got to stay bunkered down in this process. In the secret place. With our hope, faith and confidence in Christ. We can't be wishy-washy now. We're going to have doubt. Don't get me wrong. God's forgiveness, redemption, mercy and grace covers doubt. And he's able to help our unbelief. It was cried out by the one in the passage of scripture. He said help my unbelief. God is able to help. But we will never be disappointed or put to shame. We're going to be on that solid rock. Being transformed by God into the very likeness of our chief cornerstone. Verse 17. You then who believe. Who adhere to, trust in and rely on him is the preciousness. But for those who disbelieve it is true. The very stone which the builders rejected has become the main cornerstone. It's a good thing for us. It's not a good thing for those who reject. And a stone, well we're going to see here. Verse 8. And a stone that will cause stumbling. And a rock that will give men offense. They stumble because they disobey and disbelieve God. God's word. As those who reject him were destined and appointed to do. There are going to be those rejecters. But you are a chosen race. A royal priesthood. A dedicated nation. God's own purchased special people that you may set forth. What the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections. Of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. And this is a beautiful little scripture here to show. That glory of God pouring forth through us. As he is putting to death the deeds of the flesh. So that we can operate and walk in obedience. So that we have to choose to walk in obedience to God. And these are the wonderful deeds that display the virtues and perfections of God. Right when he's working in our life. Once you were not a people at all but now you are God's people. Once you were unpitied but now you are pitied and have received mercy. Not getting what we do deserve right? Beloved I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles in this world. To abstain from the central urges. The evil desires. The passions of the flesh. The lower nature that wage war against the soul. And this is an amazing warning and pro tip. We got to think of our time as sojourning. I'm working on this. God's transforming me in this way. So that my mind can go to the joy that awaits me in heaven when the suffering comes. When the flesh wants what it wants. And I say no I'm going to walk in obedience to the Lord today. I'm not going to give in to that. Because I don't want to begin to crave fleshly things. When I'm supposed to be craving spiritual milk. Spiritual truth. Spiritual guidance and direction. He's giving us some more help here. So he's telling us to threat. Because it's a soul battle. It is a battle. A question of salvation at the end of the day. Because if we give in to it. And we just operate in whatever way the flesh wants to operate. Then we're in enmity with God. And that means if we die in that state. I'm going to guess that we're going to stay in enmity with God for eternity. That's my guess. I mean I'm not in charge of these things. But it is a war against the soul. Because the soul is what goes on eternally. This is why it's a spiritual battle. Not a fleshly battle. Conduct yourselves properly, honorably, righteously among the Gentiles. And we just want to. He's just saying. Live and function correctly. Properly. Honorably. Righteously. Among the Gentiles. So that although they may slander you as evil doers. So they still come against you for your faith in God. Yet they may by witnessing your good deeds. Come to glorify God. In the day of inspection. And it's so interesting that when God is operating in our life. And others see it. You know I think about my cousin. Who was a confessed Atheist. And he watched God transform me in this way. That I couldn't have mapped out or planned. God chose to do it. And he saw it. And when he saw it. This is exactly the thing that happened. So although he had. There was that slander that was constantly against God from him. Once he witnessed this good deed that God did in my life. Where God was glorified and lifted up. Then he will. Although they may slander you. Yet they may by witnessing your good deeds. Come to glorify God. In the day of inspection. And that's exactly what happened. He went from Atheist. To what I believe was an interrelationship with God. As he called me there right before the end of his life. And told me. He was in the children's cancer ward. And they were praying to the angels. And that was an amazing truth. To watch God transform him. By what he did in my life. And without me saying anything. Didn't require me to give him any sort of plan of salvation or anything. And that's amazing. To glorify God in the day of inspection. When God shall look upon you wanderers. As a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock. See God wants men to perish. He comes after that lost sheep every time. Verse 13. Be submissive to every human institution and authority for the sake of the Lord. Whether it be to the emperor or as supreme. Or to governors as sent by him to bring vengeance, punishment, justice. To those who do wrong and encourage those who do good service. Obey those that govern you. For it is God's will and intention that by doing right. Your good and honest lives. Should silence, muzzle, gag the ignorant, check charges. And ill-informed criticisms of foolish persons. Live as free people. Yet without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness. But live at all times as servants of God. This is the freedom that we have in Christ. It's not cheap grace. We don't have the freedom to do what we want. But we do have freedom. We've been freed from the legalism. And you know where we have to sit there. Okay I've got to check mark all my rules off. And we don't have that. We don't operate that way. We just move by the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit. But he's reminded us and given us a warning. Not to use that freedom as a pretext for wickedness. But if we stay submitted unto the power of the hand of God. That's what he goes on to say. But live at all times as servants of God. That shows a submission to God. To the overlighting kingdom. To God's that reflective of the whole kingdom. Where the Lord usually reflects the leading that we're getting. And he goes on to say in verse 17. Show respect for all men. Treat them honorably. Love the brotherhood. The Christian fraternity of which Christ is the head. Reverence God and honor the emperor. You who are, and this helps reduce the abrasion too. Because God wants none to perish. So if we're abrasive and we're supposed to represent God. That's going to be a stumbling block. Show respect for all men. Treat them honorably. That is amazing. All men. Not some men. All men. Love the brotherhood. The Christian fraternity of which Christ is the head. Reverence God. Honor the emperor. You who are household servants be submissive to your masters with all proper respect. Not only to those who are kind and considerate and reasonable. But also to those who are surly, overbearing, unjust, and crooked. Be submissive to your masters with all proper respect. Not only to those, not be a doormat. But be submissive in that role that you are as the servant. No matter if they're good or kind or unkind. Whether they're good or bad. Right? And that's an amazing truth I need to hear today. Because I have some bosses, some leads or bosses or whatever. That can be overbearing, unjust, and crooked. And he's telling me right now that I have to stay submitted into the role as a servant. With respect to the position. Interesting. Because that will, we know why. Because we go back up, we'll probably go back down, we're going to see. That's so that they can see God's glory and be drawn to him. Because they want to. God wants them to perish, right? So this is the gospel. For one is regarded favorably, is approved, acceptable, and think worthy. If, as in the sight of God, he endures the pain of unjust suffering. Boy, did I need this. For one is regarded favorably, is approved, acceptable, and think worthy. If, as in the sight of God, he endures the pain of unjust suffering. After all, what kind of glory is there in it if when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently. But if you bear patiently with suffering, which results when you do right, and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God. For even to this were you called. It is inseparable from your vocation. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you his personal example, so that you should follow in his footsteps. He was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit guile ever found on his lips. Jesus never qualified to be treated harshly. I mean, he loved the planet. He loved it while he was here, so much so that thousands of years later, Jesus still permeates throughout society because of the love he showed when he walked those 33 years. Some 2,000 years ago. And it's because he suffered unjust, he endured the pain of unjust suffering. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you his personal example. This is why he's our leader. This is why he's our guide. This is why he's qualified. This is his goodness and kindness. He's shown us that we can do it. It's an encouragement that we can do it. We should follow in his footsteps, it says. He was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit or guile ever found on his lips. When he was reviled and insulted, he did not revile or offer insult in return. When he was abused and suffered, he made no threats of vengeance, but he trusted himself and everything to him who judges fairly. I'm in this process right now, Father God. I pray for the body of Christ and for myself that I will continue to be transformed in this way. That I will just trust in, lean on, rely on your fair judgment. As I stay cemented under your powerful hand, serving you in my ability to endure this suffering. Let us say, verse 19, endures the pain of unjust suffering. Verse 24, he personally bore our sins in his own body on the tree, as on an altar, and offered himself on it. That we might die, cease to exist to sin, and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. And this is the beautiful thing of it, because he carried this burden already to the cross. This is why we have to endure this suffering. We have to endure the pain of unjust suffering, because he did it for us. And this is what brings healing. And I'm talking spiritual healing. And with spiritual healing we find that there's a lot of times there's a physical healing involved. Because the outward expression of sin oftentimes is sickness. Not every sickness is caused by sin, but every sin causes sickness. Let's put it that way. It says, verse 25, and this is the illustration that he's giving for when we allow sin to get a foothold. For you were going astray like so many sheep, but now you have come back to the shepherd and the guardian, the bishop of your souls. And I love it because it caps it off with repentance. Repentance is the key in the kingdom. Even when the sheep go astray, that means we're already in the fold. And we make our own mistakes and go our own way. What he desires is that return, that coming back so that he can shepherd and guardian our souls. Wow, what a beautiful passage. Oh my goodness. You've given us standard operating procedures for the kingdom. For sure, for sure, for sure. And it is a true reminder that Psalm 67 is a treasure in Christ and a true treasure in heaven. And that God is Jehovah Nacha Loen Eretz. Our Lord God who guides the people on the earth. Oh heavenly Father, we're just so grateful for this truth. You've given us standard operating procedures, Father God. And you've shown us the spiritual guidance that we need to go with the truth. To lead us and guide us in the way. Which is the way of repentance, Father God. It is the way of submission. It is the way of suffering, Father God. So that your glory can pour forth and others can see your glory and be drawn to you. And be transformed by it in time. So I pray this for the body of Christ today, Father God. That we will stay bunkered in this secret place. Right in this very place. While you transform us, Father God, so others can see your glory. We thank you and praise you and pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen and amen.

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