God Is The Strength Of My Heart

God Is The Strength Of My Heart

Deacon Cheng Ji - 5 February 2023

God Is The Strength Of My Heart

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What the authentic Christian experience?

“Most of Scripture speaks to us; the Psalms speak for us.” 

  • Athanasius, fourth-century bishop of Alexandria 

 

Psalm 73

  • First Psalm in Book III
  • Written by Asaph (Ps 73-83)
  • Levite musician during the time of David
  • Descendants carried on the family tradition of music

Big Questions and the Big Disconnect

  • What we see does not match what we know
  • A problem of the heart

 

<Psalm 73>

1 Surely God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
    I had nearly lost my foothold.

3 For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
    their evil imaginations have no limits.8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
    with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
    and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
    it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
    you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
    completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.

21 When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds.

 

3 phases in Psalm 73

  • V1-14 –   Envy  
  • V15-24 – Discovery 
  • V25-28 – Glory 


Envy (v1-14)

v1 – God is good to those pure in heart

v13 – Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure

  • Call out envy for what it is
  • Beware how the “good life” can make us proud
  • Know that envy destructive and pervasive.


<Proverbs 14:30>

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
    but envy rots the bones.

 

<Mark 7:20-23>

20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

 

Discovery (v15-22)

  • Re-orientation away from self-interest
  • Re-orientation toward the reality of human life

Glory (v23-28)

  • Re-orientation toward the presence and sovereignty of God

 

<Romans 8:30>

“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

 

<Psalm 73>

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart

 

Come to the sanctuary

1. Engage the Eternal Truths

 

2. Open your heart

v1 Surely God is good to those who are pure in heart.

v8 From their callous hearts comes iniquity

v13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure

v21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered

v26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

 

3. Give Glory and Praise to God

15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.


Strength of my heart and my portion forever.

  • To whom shall we go? John 6:68
  • Whom have I in heaven but you? Psalm 73:25
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Deacon Chengji
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Chengji is an ordained Deacon, who has been serving The Blessed Run Church. He is married to Preacher Huijun who serves alongside him.

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