Monday 1-26-15 (Home)
Scripture
reading: Exod
14-16 Acts 2
S. Acts 2:25-28
'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right
beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his
praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul
among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown
me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.'
NLT
O. The same Peter that had denied that he even
knew Jesus, was now standing and boldly preaching that Jesus was indeed the
Messiah and that it was God’s plan all along that He should die and be raised
from the dead and that salvation would be for all men who would believe in
Him. Something wonderful had happened to this man, Peter, and to the rest
of this group of 120 men and women. Peter was no longer the wimp that
denied the Lord under pressure. The promised Comforter had come and
fearful, timid men and women became powerful witnesses, ready to give their
very lives for Christ and His message.
The Old and New Testaments are closely linked
together. I am amazed at how this rough fisherman could quote Old
Testament scripture. Here he is quoting parts of Psalm 16. And he
selects the central part of that quote to refer to Jesus Christ’s
resurrection. But the first and last parts of that quotation seem to
belong not only to Jesus, but to Peter, himself, and to me. Looking back
at his personal failure, Peter can now shout boldly, “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be
shaken, for he is right beside me.”
Peter was preaching about and applying this psalm to
Jesus, yet like many of the Old Testament prophetic promises, they seem
applicable to more than one scenario.
A. I especially love the final words of this
Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you
forever.” NLT.
The year was 1970. I was traveling alone preaching in
churches in Northwest California on the coast and staying with pastors Jim and
Helene Hill, next-door to their church in Fortuna. I was alone sitting at
the church organ one morning just playing and worshiping the Lord. I had
my Spanish Bible on the organ directly in front of me. It was open to
Psalm 16. I struck a C minor chord and began to sing that wonderful verse
in Spanish. A simple melody flowed like a fresh waterfall. During
the following couple of years I taught that melody in many churches in
Argentina and Uruguay and just last month in Uruguay a pastor told me they are
still singing it over 40 years later!
Me mostrarás la senda de la
vida.
Me mostrarás la senda de la
vida.
En tu presencia hay plenitud de
gozo.
Delicias a Tu diestra para
siempre.
Delicias
a Tu diestra para siempre.”
You Will show me the way of life
You Will show me the way of life
In Your presence there is fullness of joy.
Delicacies at your right hand forever.
Delicacies at your right hand forever.
For years I have applied this verse to my personal
life as God’s promise to me. God will show me the way. He will
guide me down the path of life. And He will be with me, allowing me the
full joy of His divine presence… and all this with the promise of the
delightful pleasure of living in His presence forever.
P. Precious Savior, King of my life, I’ll never
cease to be amazed at your power to transform a weakling into a daring servant
of God. How many times I have stood before a great crowd of eager
listeners who were waiting for a word from You… trembling like a child?
Then I opened my mouth to speak and something happened. All fear
disappeared and Your Word seemed to flow like a fountain with Holy Spirit
anointing. I know that I am nothing but a wimp, Lord Jesus… yet You can
lift me in Your hands and make something out of nothing. As I look
forward toward my next three opportunities for ministry coming now within a few
days… I pray that, like Peter on the day of Pentecost, I may know that I am not
alone and stand to speak Your Word with Holy Spirit anointing.
Ralph
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