King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Friday, April 22, 2022
Chapters: PSALMS 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21
Study: Fiery Trials
Hello My Friend,
Trials, saved or not, we all face them, and sometimes it seems as Christians that we face them just for our faith, but as we draw closer to Christ through our trials, we not only get a better insight spiritually, we find comfort in His response, even if we do not understand His reasoning. You see, God never leaves or ignores those who seek Him. Of course, we are going to wonder where He is at times, and yes, we are even going to complain to Him when we see others living wickedly having the time of their lives when we not dare do the things they do. Never let a trial in this life define or defeat you, trust God there really is no better option.
[Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. – 1 Peter 4:12-14]
As David was taking his place as king, he starts reflecting on what God has done for him, and writes many of them down in the Psalms, which the majority are written by David, or penned down by someone who had heard his prayers to God. And some of these are actually songs, which is why you will see the instrument that was used to play the song written in the introduction of the Psalm. Did you ever listen to the radio and all these songs kept playing that were so sad that you actually turned the channel because it made you feel sad? A lot of the songs that David wrote truly were solemn, he constantly asked God for forgiveness in many of them,
[To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly. – Psalms 6:1-5,8-10]
[heal me; for my bones are vexed.] Fiery trials can overwhelm us, they are what brings us, anger, depression, anxiety, and even sickness as they are all emotions that come naturally as a result, especially if it feels like God has disappeared somewhere. And I will tell you this, when God seems like He is no where to be found, that is when He is actually closer than ever, working on us, teaching us, growing us, and listening to every word we say to Him. We must remember that we are saved by grace, though our faith in Christ, and nothing can change that, even David knew that.
[To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! – Psalms 8:1,3-6,9]
[made him a little lower than the angels,] What truly is man that our LORD and Saviour is mindful of us? We are very stiff necked people, as God would call us, fully of pride and self righteousness, and that is where Jesus comes in as this meek and mild man who somehow humbles us to let go of that pride and self righteousness. How incredible is it that you literally see Christ within the pages of Scriptures, even without knowing what His name would be? That is the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells true believers. And although Jesus is fully God, He is also fully man, who descended in the flesh through David’s lineage, and was made a little lower than the angels for the matter of saving our soul.
[Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. – Hebrews 2:7-10]
Do you see how God’s Word has never changed, it is the same message that God has always had from the very start. Jesus truly is the captain of our salvation, and we should be thanking and praising Him all day long.
[To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. – Psalms 9:1,4-10]
[he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.] There are two kinds of judgment, righteous judgment, which is what God gives to all, whether we are saved or not, and what we too are to practice. And there is critical judgment, which is when people tend to literally judge and criticize you, and they are usually the worst offenders. And I will tell you this, those who use critical judgment are only that way because they have something to hide, they figure if they draw their attention on someone else, then their own sins would not be exposed. Well, God does not work that way, if you start pointing out everyone’s sins, you can be sure that God will expose yours, [If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. – John 7:17-18,24]
Let me tell you, the closer you get to Christ the more you discover just how much of a sinner you were and still are, and how merciful He is. When we come to the understanding that all things, and I mean all, are the work of God’s hands, we will truly start to understand just how important our faith is and why God keeps bringing affliction into our lives that keeps that faith going. Even through the fieriest of trials, and we feel as though God is no where to be found, we need to praise Him as one day we will suffer no more, but we cannot say that for those whom have not trusted Christ as their Saviour.
[Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. – Psalms 10:1-7]
[Why standest thou afar off, O LORD?] Why does God seem to stand afar through our trials? Three words, to humble us. The word humble means that we are to be meek, lowly, modest, abase, in other words, it is to bring us to the knowledge that we are, in fact, imperfect and need Him every since day to survive not only in this world, but once we leave here. We can have a sense of pride in the way that we strive to do our very best, but we also must keep ourselves humble, knowing that without Christ, none of it is possible, or at least is eternal, [I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4:12-13]
David questions why the wicked get away with things while he was getting persecuted for doing no wrong, then as he reflects on things, he realizes that they are the true fools, [To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous. – Psalms 14:1-5]
[The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men,] When I first dedicated my life to Christ, all we heard what how bad we are and there is no good in us at all, but what they failed to leave out that what God was referring to was the fools who have no faith in Him. While our good is no where near what God sees as good, in fact, compared to Christ’s goodness, it is truly as filthy rags, but those who call upon Christ as their Saviour, are filled with His righteousness. And that is actually all we need, [And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. – Romans 8:10-11]
Sometimes when these fiery trials overwhelm me, the promise of eternal life gets buried in a mountain of anxiety, fear, and infirmities, among other things that hide the fact that the Holy Spirit is right inside of me. And that is another reason why God humbles us, it also reminds us that we do have eternal life, we are His inheritance and amazingly, we do have an inheritance awaiting us on the other side of this world.
[Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. – Psalms 16:1-5,8-11]
[For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;] People read these verses and think that souls that are in hell somehow make their way to heaven. There are even some that suggest that when Jesus died that He spent three nights in hell. First of all, Jesus was in paradise of three nights, and second, this is David’s way of saving that trusting in Him will not send him hell. It is just like when Jesus tells us how to pray and we are asking God to lead us not into temptation, [And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. – Luke 11:2-4]
Remember, there are two kinds of temptation, the trials that proves ones faith and the enticement of sin. Look, we are not perfect, we are going to mess up, especially when our faith is being tried, which is why Jesus worked so hard to bring salvation to our souls, not our flesh. However, our flesh can be comforted through our trials by sticking close to Jesus at all times. Talk to Him, read His words, and He will enlighten us.
[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. – Psalms 19:1-3,7-10]
[More to be desired are they than gold,] This is actually a song that we use to sing in church years ago,[The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.] There truly is nothing sweeter to our soul and spirit than the Word of God, it truly does enlighten both our heart and soul, not only to God’s mercies and grace, but to convictions as well, again, all in an effort to keep us humble. David, was quick to discover that, even as king, without God, he was nothing.
[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. – Psalms 21:1-7]
[For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness:] There is nothing that God keeps for those who love Him. God will place us where we need to be so that we are not forgetful to give Him the glory for our accomplishments. And if we do become forgetful, He will start afflicting us until we let go of our pride and start acknowledging that He is the source for every accomplishment. As much as I would like to be comfortably wealthy, never have to watch every piece of food I eat, never have to walk with pain, and always be strong in mind, body, and spirit, I am not, and therefore, I must come to Jesus every single day, for in Him, I am provided for, in Him, I am fed, in Him, I am healed, and in Him I am strong. We must understand that while we may not get everything that our flesh desires, we will never lack the grace that Christ suffices us with.
[For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:8-10]
Today’s Prayer: God, While I will never understand all Your ways, and why I need to face so many fiery trials to keep me humble, I do understand that Your grace is sufficient enough to get me though each and every one. I am who I am today because little by little You are creating in me an image resembling Your Son, and there is nothing that I have lack since having trusted in Your Son as my Saviour. Lord, Lead me and guide me, prepare me, grow me, strengthen me, shower me with Your grace, mercy, patience, love, long suffering, and wisdom, for in Your presence is the fullness of joy, and through every trial my faith and trust is in You. I ask this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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