Psalm 24 Be Bold - Be Strong

Daily Bible Study for Monday August 1, 2016

By: Hanny Lynn Stearns 

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”

Chapter Reading for Today: Please read in your Bible before proceeding. Note that most translations are considered paraphrases. The Young’s Literal Translation provides a more accurate translation since he is the one who authored a concordance. Others are helpful for seeing a different perspective, but we cannot always depend on their wording. I hope this is helpful to you. If you are studying in another version, that is fine. I am studying from the KJV, but for the purpose of this study, I will keep it with the New King James Version.

One final note: I will put the scripture in italics to differentiate from my own writing. I am adding red to the letters when it is Jesus talking – just like the Bible. Thank you.

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day

Psalm 119:114

You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Song: Be Bold, Be Strong (For the Lord your God is with you)    

By: Morris Chapman & the Maranatha Singers

Psalm 24

Be Bold – Be Strong

Today is a day of boldness. We are to boldly proclaim who God is to all nations. Many do not know who the King of glory is. Some call Him an unknown God – others label their hope with names of various kinds – all false gods and useless to help them. What will the Lord show us today in our study? Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

You are the Creator of heaven and earth. Everything contained herein belongs to You – the One true God who made it. Father, show us what we can learn from these rich passages today. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we can glean all that You want to give us in it. Father, I ask You to speak through my mind, my heart and my hands to Your people for such a time as this. May Your message go forth unhindered and unchecked by any outside force or my flesh. Lord, thank You for always watching over Your word to perform it in our lives when we trust and obey You. We will purpose in our hearts to be doers of Your word and not forgetful hearers. Thank You in advance for renewing our minds in Your word in Jesus name. Amen.

Our Psalm opens today with a bold statement of who God is and who owns the earth, the people, and everything in the earth – God! No bones about it, as they say – this place belongs to the Lord. He made it from the word of His own mouth. No man can claim that this all just “happened from an explosion.” How ridiculous to even say such a thing. Several people are, but probably not as many as the enemy would have us think. In general, the majority of people may not understand a lot of things about the Lord, but most do not say or believe in their hearts that the things we see in the earth, and its people came from some explosion in outer space. We have never seen anything good come from an explosion, have we? Laugh out loud!

Still, there are those out there whose minds have been blinded by the devil, who go around trying to stir up trouble and cause many to be defiled by their false doctrines. They imagine vain things and then try to pawn their evil ideas off on the general (unsuspecting) public. Again, this is all a scheme of the enemy. His job since he fell from heaven was to go about seeking to deceive the minds of people about God – who He is or how His people can be saved. Today’s passage shows who can enter into the Lord’s presence. It is they who have clean hands and a clean heart. Those who are speaking false lies and useless schemes are not going to enter in to His presence.

Paul knew what it was like to have the divided crowds crying out in confusion as he explained who the Lord is. Let’s look at a couple of scriptures today that can show us what he had to deal with. It was no different in his day than it is now. We still have the same devil to contend with and the answer about who God is remains the same. Let’s read… 

Acts 17:14-32

¹⁴ Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

¹⁶ Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. ¹⁷ Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?”

Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

¹⁹ And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak?²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

²² Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;²³ for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: ²⁴ “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. ²⁵ Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. ²⁶ And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,²⁷ so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ ²⁹ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. ³⁰ Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

³² And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”

The leaders and rulers of Paul’s day were reluctant to hear about anyone who might possibly usurp their authority. They didn’t want anybody infringing on their territory, and that was final. When Paul rolled into town and started talking about Jesus, they felt threatened as we can imagine. But we know from scripture that this was Paul’s thorn in the flesh – a messenger from satan to buffet him...

2 Corinthians 12:7-11

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We have to remember not to let the religious ideas tell us what Paul’s infirmity was. The scripture makes it plain here. Everywhere he went the devil was after him to bring strife. And since the Lord isn’t going to remove the devil from our midst, yet – He was assuring Paul that His grace would be all he would need to combat the seemingly endless stream of harassments. Every town he went to, he preached Jesus. Many were saved, in most cases, while others were used of the enemy to cause a commotion, causing Paul to flee in haste to the next Holy Spirit led destination.

Can you imagine what it must have been like for him? As he went about from town to town, he was preaching the gospel, and he was tormented by the enemy, frequently coming within moments of losing his life before fleeing to the next village. But did he despair in this? According to the Bible, no, he never did. He was bold in the face of continual adversity. He never let these things he had to face move him. How many of have had to face the enormity of trials that Paul faced while spreading the word of God from town to town?

The kind of suffering that God puts a great big stamp of approval on is exactly this. If we suffer for doing wrong, that is not bringing any glory to God, and certainly does not help us. But when we suffer for doing good, like we see Paul do many times in the scriptures, well, look at what the Bible says about that…

1 Peter 3:13-17

¹³ And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;¹⁶ having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Verses 5-6 in today’s Psalm states that those who enter into the Lord’s presence will receive blessing and righteousness. Jesus makes all that possible. In Athens, Paul was dealing with the rulers and various other leaders of the community. There were countless people, and all of them had their thoughts and opinions about what they were hearing. In spite of the confusion, God had made a way for Paul to be permitted to speak and the gospel went out. He would be able to tell them about how they could receive the blessings and the righteousness that only the one true God could give.

In verses 7 & 9 of Psalm 24, the command is this…

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.

Paul was confronted by followers of Epicurus, apparently some kind of made up god who was an indulger in pleasures we dare not mention here. There were also Stoic philosophers, who were people that followed after Zeno who started his own weird sect. They thought the preaching of Jesus being raised from the dead was quite strange indeed and they took Paul before Areopagus, which in short was like an Athenian supreme court. They called him a babbler and a proclaimer of foreign gods. Do you think all these accusations rocked Paul’s world? Not in the least. He was determined to walk it through so he could be used of the Lord at the precise moment to speak the words of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

This town had been worshiping a god alright, but they had no idea who they were worshiping – it was all man made, false stuff that could do nobody any sort of good. So Paul had to be bold. He had to be strong. He had to stand in the face of persecutions and accusations so he could take advantage of telling people who God really is. We can’t help but to see an evangelistic call in the Psalm today, and certainly in Paul’s travels through Greece, can we? When the statement comes in the Psalm, calling the “gates” and “everlasting doors” to be lifted up, we can see the call for the people to “look up and open their hearts” to the Lord – amen?!

People all over the world are worshiping a bunch of so called gods that they don’t know anything about, or how the worship of them even got started. They took somebody’s word for it, and if it seemed ‘pleasant’ to them, they just kind of went with it. That certainly seemed to be the case in Athens, didn’t it? But God, the one true God, was sending Paul to preach to a people that knew Him not, yet He loved them and had created them for the specific time they lived on the earth, with the sincere desire that they would seek Him, and hence, find Him, and be made righteous through His precious Son Jesus.

The Lord had put up with their ignorance for a time – but that time was up. The preacher had arrived and it was time to look up at the true King of glory – Jesus, and open their hearts to the only way to salvation – through faith in the Son of God. This King – He is strong, a warrior against evil, He is the Lord of hosts (many) people. In one passage of scripture it says that Jesus – He is Lord of all. While there are many who still need to hear the gospel, those of us who do know who the real and only God is need to be bold in our sharing of the gospel and strong as we face the adversities that will come our way as a result.

I can well relate to the threats that Paul faced. While I was working at an insurance agency in southwest Florida a few years back, I was working among many people who did not know God. They did not show respect to Him and the place seemed filled with darkness. They all seemed spiritually dead. There were only two coworkers that knew Jesus. They were my comfort while on the daily battle field. We had a fairly small team and it was an intimate setting. We worked close to each other every day. I was there for 4 ½ years.

One day I could hear Holy Spirit speak to me in my heart. He said, “Stand up for Jesus.” That was all He said. Soon I discovered what He meant. As I followed His leading, He wanted me to ask people not to say His name in vain. When people would say, “oh my G__!” I was to ask them nicely not to use the Lord’s name in vain when they were speaking to me. It was a big deal for me at the time. I had never been that bold before. In the face of fear, I did what I was asked. Sure, I missed it a few times. Every time I did not say what I was supposed to say, I felt like I was punched in the stomach. It was as if the Holy Spirit had been physically assaulted – and I could feel it.

As time went on I kept it up. One day the boss called me in the office. She asked me not to do that anymore. People didn’t like it. One of my clients had complained. Coworkers didn’t like it. The thing is, most of the people I would say it to were very nice and they would apologize and we would just move past it. But there are always the one’s that the devil will use – just like what Paul encountered – to stir up trouble. The warning came a second time just before I was planning to fly to Michigan to see my daughter and granddaughter for the Thanksgiving weekend.

The big boss was in the meeting this time. He said I should pray about it and that we would talk when I returned from my trip. I left work thinking I was very likely going to lose my job upon my return. I went on the trip and had a good time. I really didn’t spend much time thinking about it. I was not going to stop doping what the Lord told me to do. In fact, when I left work that day, I just said to the Lord, “Lord, You told me to do this, and You have not told me to stop, so I am going to keep doing what You told me to do and trust You for the consequences.” That’s all I said. Then I went away on my trip and had a great time.

When I returned to work the following Monday, I waited anxiously to see what the boss would say to me. The day came and went and no conversation was had. I thought it was strange. I kept looking for someone to walk up to me and call me into the boss’s office, but it didn’t happen. Days went by, and still no word from anyone. I thought it was odd, but I decided to just go with the flow and keep on doing my job.

As we entered the Christmas holidays, I was given a bonus. I was told most others were not getting one. I was also going to be considered for a nice promotion to an Account Executive in the coming year because I had expressed interest in doing that job. I was very excited about that prospect. I had a great Christmas and the following year was wonderful. At work I did well, and life was good. I kept asking people not to use the Lord’s name in vain. 

Now it was the next Christmas season. It was New Year’s Eve. As I worked through the day, looking forward to the long holiday weekend, my immediate manager came and asked me to come to the big boss’s office. As I followed her, I could sense that something was not right. The hair on the back of my neck began to rise like a creepy spider coming up my back.

When we took our seats, I had both the manager, another gal, and then the big boss came in and took his seat next to me. He and I had gotten along very well. We had worked well together and I learned a great deal from him. Though he was a millionaire, he wasn’t stuffy. He was very kind, although a bit aloof to spiritual things to say the least.  

He looked at me very seriously and told me that we had lost a client because I had asked them not to say the Lord’s name in vain. I was certainly sorry to hear that – but I had no regrets. The boss told me they loved me and thought I was one of the best Account Managers they had ever had – but I had to stop this thing about God. He gave me an ultimatum. It was either stop talking about God at work or find another job. They didn’t want to see me go.

My emotions by then were right on the edge. It wasn’t fear of losing the job – it was just the intensity of the moment that was getting to me. I felt like tears were getting ready to come bursting from my eyes, and I knew the Lord didn’t want me to cry. I whispered a prayer to Him under my breath real quick and said, “Help me Lord!” and He did. I managed to choke back the emotions. I was not going to let them see me break down. I was standing on what God had told me to do, no matter what the cost. 

After he and the other managers said their piece and gave their opinions about what I had been doing, I looked at my boss and said, “I’m sticking with God.” That was it – I said it. My decision was final. He had known that would be my answer. He gave me a month and 10 days to train my replacements. I was going on a mission trip to Haiti in January and he didn’t want that to be messed up. That was the grace of God in full swing! Hallelujah!

I drove home with many thoughts rolling through my mind. I knew that I had just spent all I had on Christmas. I had bought my kids some gifts and spent quite a bit on evangelism tracts to hand out at the live nativity that our church was hosting. I had just over $11. in the bank the day that news came. On my drive home, I heard the Lord in my spirit say, “You are going to hear a thousand voices – do not listen to them.” I didn’t fully understand what He meant at the time, but later I would find out.

People offered me jobs and anything else they could do to help. But the Lord wanted me to rest. Then He had me start writing a book about my life. In all I spent 6 months with no job and no money coming in from a known source, like a paycheck. I couldn’t collect unemployment and the Lord had specifically told me not to use my 401k money – at least at that time. How did I live? He provided everything. A place to stay, food, gas money, bill money, He provided it all. It came from all kinds of different directions. Some were anonymous, others I knew. People bought me dinner and gas. I never lacked one single thing.

It was an awesome thing to experience. I had decided I would be like Esther in the Bible. “If I perish, I perish.” After all, what could anyone really do to me? I had already lost almost everything I had before I ever left Michigan to move to Florida. I had lost my husband, my kids and my belongings. I had lost my reputation and my credit rating – everything. But the one thing I knew I had was Jesus. I knew that I knew that I had Him and to me, that was everything. I had a ball with Him during those 6 months that I did not work. I spent hours studying the Bible and just being with Him.

I had two ladies that I was ministering to. I took one gal to a church 30 minutes north of us every Thursday night to help her get closer to God. (That ended up being the church where I would meet my future husband) Praise God! And I wrote my book. I rested. I exercised. I ate healthy like usual. I met new people. It was all so wonderful. Yet I never knew from week to week how I would make it financially. I had to trust the Lord. I did, and He always came through.

I could tell you a lot more testimony about how all that payed out, but the main thing I believe the Lord wants us to see today is that we have to be bold in our faith and strong in our work and determination to do what He tells us to do, even in the face of persecution, or loss of finances – whatever it may be. When we obey God, He takes care of the details. I have seen Him do it over and over. So here I am again. I am unemployed, by people that is. I work alone at home, with the Lord each day.

I am happily married to a wonderful man of God. He has a full time job, so that is how the Lord is providing financially for us at the moment. But the thing is, I am not depending on my husband or his paycheck to carry me/us through and meet my/our needs. I am counting on the Lord. We both are. No matter what happens, I am determined to do what the Lord is calling me to do. In that, I can rest assured that He will take care of the finances to meet every need so that I can do what He wants me to do. God has plenty of money. My Daddy in heaven is rich – hallelujah!

The day I had to tell my boss I was sticking with the Lord was a challenge to the flesh for certain. Fear came, but I resisted it. But it was no challenge in my heart. I knew how I would answer no matter how grim my finances looked. And I was single at the time so there was nobody else bringing in any income. I was out on a limb, hanging for dear life, and the Lord never let me down.

There are a lot of people out there who are trusting in false gods, things that can never help them. And God is looking for a people in this generation who will be bold and be strong in the face of adversity. He wants to see a people that do not fear man, or lack, or even death. He wants to be our strong and mighty God, our Lord and Savior. He wants us to tell others about what He has done for us. That takes courage. Many are not “comfortable” with sharing their faith. To those I would ask, “Are you really saved?” 

The reason is that if a person has the love of God in their hearts, they will not be content to go day after day avoiding opportunities to tell others how they can be saved and enjoy eternal life rather than face an eternity in the fires of a very real and horrible hell.

If we don’t love others, how can the love of God really be in us? If we don’t care about what happens to the next guy or gal we meet in our daily routines, how can the Holy Spirit of God be in our hearts? Friends, when the Lord calls us to be bold and strong, He reminds us that He, the Lord strong and mighty is with us. Look at this wonderful verse in Isaiah…

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Friends, if it had not been for the Lord in me, I never could have done what I did that day in the face of losing my job. Nor would I have cared. But it is God in us to will and act according to His good purpose (Phil. 2:13).

Questions:

How can we enter the Lord’s presence with clean hands and a clean heart?

Describe the meaning of verses 7 & 9.  

Who is the King of glory to you?

Describe a situation where you have had to be bold in the face of adversity for Jesus name.  

Who has the Lord been prompting you to speak to about Jesus?

Have you been actively sharing your faith with others? If not, why?

There are three main points to consider from today’s study…

The Lord is looking for a generation to be bold in sharing their faith with others

When God asks us to do something, He will provide the means to carry it out

People who are truly born again will want to talk about the Lord with others

                        Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for saving me. Father, there was a time when I didn’t know Jesus – just like those people in Athens in our study today. But You were faithful and You sent a preacher to tell me the gospel so I could have a chance to respond and receive my salvation. For that dear Lord I am eternally grateful. Lord, I ask You to show me who You want me to talk to about Jesus. Bring me opportunities to boldly proclaim what You have done for me. Father, I ask You to forgive me for any missed opportunities, and to show me what to say at the right time to the right person. Give them ears to hear and a heart to receive it. I will give You all the glory and thanks in Jesus name. Amen.

Who can you think of right now that needs to hear about Jesus?

And God Said… You fill in the blanks.

Acts 4:29-30

 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”