The Thoughts of God #3

(Go To Meeting)

Eduardo Elizondo—November 8, 2024

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This is the last part of this message. In the first part we talked about:

• how we are to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ
• how God judges the thoughts, not just the actions
• the nature of our thoughts; our thoughts are evil
• that we are to seek the thoughts of God

In the second part we looked a little bit more in detail as to:

• how we can do that
• how we can seek the thoughts of God
• what God wants and expects of us
• what are His thoughts
  • toward the world and everybody
  • toward His called out ones

So, we did that in the first two parts and today we are going to finish this message.

We are going to start by going to Prov. 4, because these are part of the thoughts of God! These are given as instructions and the way that they are written, they are written from a father to a son.

It is speculated that this was actually King David writing to Solomon, his son, so that the first nine chapters of the Book of Proverbs were actually written by David to Solomon. They are written in that form as though David is the one that is writing them, but it is from a father to a son!

When we think about it today for us, these are thoughts of God for us and instructions from God to us! We are going to read some of the Proverbs in chapter 4 and with this mind to try to really understand the thoughts of God.

We have seen a lot of things as I was mentioning and recapping the other couple messages as far as what our thoughts are and what God wants for us. But we are going to see now in a personal way the thoughts of God to each one of us, because we talked in general before and we talked about the big picture. We talked about how we can have the thoughts of God and that God desires that, but today we are actually going to go into a little bit more depth and being a little bit more personal in what we read.

I would like for us to read with this mindset of trying to really understand the mind of God and His thoughts toward us personally, directly to each one of us, because this is going to give us a lot of encouragement.

This is going to continue to 'recharge our batteries' as we have them now recharged coming back from the Feast, back into the world. But to think, to put our mind in the things of God and in His thoughts toward us.

Proverbs 4:1: "O children, hear the instruction of a [the] Father, and be attentive in order to know understanding."

This is God talking to us instructing us to hear Him, because Jesus Christ told us that we have one Father, in heaven! It's God the Father and we have to "…be attentive in order to know understanding."

Verse 2: "For I give you good doctrine; do not forsake My Law."

He always starts there. He starts with the Law and it's like with a child, children are very linear thinkers. So, it starts with basic instructions, and so do we:

• in our walk with God
• in our Christian living
• in understanding the ways of God

It starts with the Law. That's the foundation of everything!

Verse 3: "For I was my father's son, tender and the only beloved in the sight of my mother."

This is another indication that it was probably Solomon, the only beloved in the sight of my mother, because he was the first one after the first one that died, the one born of that of that sin of adultery.

But then the first one after that was Solomon and he was beloved in the sight of his mother up to that point.

Verse 4: "He also taught me, and said to me, 'Let your heart hold fast My words; keep My Commandments and live.'"

This is God speaking to us, as well. God wants for us, for our heart to hold fast His words. It's an amazing thing, because when we think about Who is the Word, the Word became flesh and that's Jesus Christ. If we hold fast His words, the words of God that came through Jesus Christ—both in the Old Testament and in the New—once he was born in the flesh. If we hold fast His words, this is what we're going to do:

"…keep My Commandments and live" (v 4).

It's both these: "…hold fast My words; keep My Commandments and live" (v 4). It's a promise!

Then He instructs us; these are the thoughts of God toward us; this is instruction:

Verse 5: "Get wisdom; get understanding; forget it not, nor turn away from the words of My mouth." That's what He wants us to do!

In Deut. 6 it says:

These words shall be in your heart and you shall teach them to your children. You shall repeat them when you sit in your house, when you walk, by the way, when you lay down, when you rise up.

That's what it's saying here in Proverbs.

It says, Don't forget it! Don't turn away from the words of My mouth! That's the how, the how is to talk about Him all the time. To teach them to our children. That is so important, because God is going to send a blessing. That's how we're going to get wisdom and understanding.

As we've said before, wisdom is the highest level! Understanding comes a little bit before and knowledge is foundational!

For you have knowledge and then you have understanding as to how that knowledge comes together. But then wisdom is how to apply it with circumstances and with people, because we are all very complex. We all have different situations that arise and it's difficult, it's challenging. But:

• IF we get wisdom
• IF we get understanding
• IF we hold fast the words of God and keep His Commandments

We're going to live! That's the promise!

Verse 6: "Do not forsake her… [do not forsake wisdom] …and she shall keep you; love her, and she shall preserve you."

• Do we love wisdom?
• Are we getting understanding?
• Are we crying out?

because when we ask God, He's going to give us that!

That's why Jesus said that even us being evil know how to give good gifts to our children. How much more He's going to give us this IF we ask God for wisdom!

We have to ask Him for His Holy Spirit, we have to ask him for wisdom every day. We have to love that wisdom, because when we understand the thoughts of God and when we can see the love that He has for us and the purpose and the plan that He has for us—which we just rehearsed during the Feast of Tabernacles—it really blows our mind how much love and how much understanding and how perfect is His Plan.

We are being trained to train those in the Millennium, who then are going to train everybody else in the Great White Throne judgment. It's going to be an amazing thing, and we're building up to that.

Verse 7: "Wisdom is the principal thing; get wisdom; and with all your getting get understanding." These are the thoughts of God!

God is saying, 'If you're not going to have anything else in this life except one thing, get wisdom! That's why He was so pleased. We've heard Fred talking about that in The Solomon Syndrome

At the beginning that's what Solomon asked for; he asked for wisdom. It's almost like he knew this. Like David probably wrote this to Solomon and Solomon took it to heart. IF his father told him to:

• get wisdom
• wisdom is a principal thing
• focus on wisdom
• get understanding

That's what Solomon asked God, and God was so pleased with him that He gave him the best kingdom, the best human kingdom that has ever existed up to now. God was so pleased with that and God is so pleased with you, as well.

• when we ask for wisdom
• when we delight in His love

We have to first hold fast His words and we have to keep His Commandments.

Now, we have been doing that, but to what level? In the letter? In the Spirit? As we understand it, the more understanding we get and the more wisdom that we get, the better we're going to keep His Commandments; the more that we're going to hold fast His words!

It's going to be an amazing thing when we think about it. That's why He says, 'With all you're getting, get understanding." If you're going to get only one thing, get understanding! Get wisdom! Wisdom is a principal thing, which builds upon understanding!

Verse 8: "Exalt her, and she shall promote you…"

God wants to promote us! Not for our own sake, not so that we get puffed up with knowledge or elevated. NO!

He knows that when we get true wisdom, we're actually going to be more humble than before! Because we know Who gives wisdom and we know Who God is. WHEN we understand the thoughts of God, THEN we are really going to understand that when we're promoted, it's just to the glory of God!

• it's not for us
• it's not to exalt ourselves
• it's not to lord over anybody
• it's not to put anybody else down

It's just to serve others and to serve better!

"…she shall bring you honor when you embrace her" (v 8).

So this is absolutely fundamental in our development, in our character development as we are preparing to go on to the Kingdom of God!

We have to embrace her; we have to embrace wisdom, and love God with all our heart, soul, mind and being!

But embracing that wisdom, knowing that the wisdom comes from God; we're talking about Godly wisdom.

We know that James talks about the wisdom of this world vs the wisdom of God. This is the wisdom of God.

Because when we see the wisdom of God, you can't help but:

• love Him more
• serve Him more
• be humbled more

Then look at how it ends; v 9: "She shall place upon your head a garland of grace; she shall bestow upon you a crown of glory."

That is proof that it is being kings and priests in the Kingdom of God for a thousand years!

• that is the end result of embracing her
• that is that promotion
• that is when we embrace her
• that is when we love God
• that is when we know His thoughts and we understand

We become more like God because:

• we love that way of life
• we love that way of being
  • that is true
  • that is righteous
  • that is loving
  • that is compassionate
  • that is caring

We want to be all those things, because God is all those things, and He's always like that with us.

But it says "…she shall bestow upon you a crown of glory" in His Kingdom, and that's the promise.

You can read the rest of this chapter. I highly recommend it because it has a lot more things. But let's drop down to:

Verse 20: "My son, attend to My words; incline your ear to My sayings." To attend to the words of God!

Incline our ear to His sayings. That's what it says in Psa. 1. Blessed is the man who meditates on His Law. His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law does he meditate day and night.

That's what it's saying here, in v 20. IF you "…attend to My words…" IF you "…incline your ear to My sayings," It says you need to do that!

Verse 21: "Let them not depart from your eyes…"

• these are instructions
• these are commands

"…keep them in the midst of your heart" (v 21)

It goes together. That's what Jer. 31 says; that He was going to write His Laws and His Commandments in our heart and in our mind. This is the instruction.

Verse 22: "For they are life to those who find them…"—because God Himself is Life!

And health to all their flesh. And that's what God wants. God wants for us to have health. That's what He wants. But we have to keep them in the midst of our heart, those commandments. That's what Jesus said in the book of John where He said, 'the words I speak to you, they are Spirit and they are Life!'

That's why they [God's words] are "…health to all our flesh" (v 22), because they are Life themselves. Then He gives us another instruction in:

Verse 23: "Above all guard the door of your mind with diligence…"

Not just most of the time or sometimes, but with diligence, which means all the time! Be attentive at:

• what you watch
• what you hear
• what is going on around you

Guard the door of your mind and run away from evil! Run away from evil! We have all seen how terrible the celebration in October; Halloween and all of that stuff. We've seen how terrible that actually is, because people are not guarding their mind! That's when Satan and the demons come in and influence people IF we're not guarding the door of our mind, that's why we have to guard it.

"…for out of it are the issues of life" (v 23). That's where the Laws and the Commandments of God are to be: in our mind and in our heart! Those are the issues of life.

Verse 24: "Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and devious lips put far from you."

It starts with your mind and then it's not only your mind, but also watch what you're saying, because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks!

• IF you're guarding the door of your mind
• IF you have those words in the midst of your heart
• THEN this is going to happen, you're going to:

Verse 24: "Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and devious lips put far from you." It starts inside.

Verse 25: "Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you."

We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and God the Father!

That's what we have to do. We have to take instructions from our Lord and Savior, from the head of the Church, Jesus Christ Himself.

That's why it says, v 26: "Ponder the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established."

When it says "ponder the path of your feet" is think about it! Think about where you're going to go! Yes, we can ponder where we've gone, but IF our eyes are to be in front and looking at what Jesus Christ did and we're following His example, THEN we have to ponder the path of our feet as to where we're going to go, not just where we have gone!

We certainly can learn from our mistakes, but it's even more important to think about it, to plan! We always have a choice. But if we ponder the path of our feet and are doing the other things, this is not just by itself. That's how our ways will be established.

Verse 27: "Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot from evil."

It also says that in Deuteronomy 5:32: "And you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left."

• stay in this path
• stay in these Commandments
• follow the Lord and Master
• follow Jesus Christ
• follow the Head of the Church

These are the thoughts of God that we are pondering!

1-Chron. 28:9—this is David speaking to the people. He starts talking about how he had it in his heart to build a Temple for God, and he gathered all the materials and all of these things. But then I just want to read one verse in here, because this is so important from the man who really knew God in a very, very deep level: David.

Chronicles 28:9: "And you, Solomon my son, acknowledge the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind…"Both are required; a perfect heart means that:

• there's nothing hidden
• there is nothing crooked
• there are no things that are against God that are hiding

none of that!

A perfect heart means we have to give, like as many mainstream Christians say, give your heart to the Lord. But in reality, in Spirit and in Truth:

• knowing the Word of God
• knowing the Truth of God
• knowing His Commandments and His judgments and everything

because

• that is the mind of God
• that is a perfect heart

But we have to have that perfect heart toward God of Sincerity of Truth!

He says, and with a willing mind, we have to do it from our own desire. Because the more that we get to know the thoughts of God, the more that we love Him. It says, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts.

IF you seek Him, He will be found by you! That is also for us today. If we seek Him, He will be found by us. There is not just one time; it's not a one time event when we were called and we were baptized. It's the rest of our lives! It's not just in one way:

• there are levels of depth in our relationship with God
• there are levels of understanding
• there are levels of wisdom
• there is the measure of the Holy Spirit

God didn't give it with a measure unto Jesus Christ when He was on the earth. But we do get things in measure:

• in the measure that we seek Him
• in the measure that we obey Him
• in the measure that we understand His mind

That we want His Commandments, His Laws, and His judgments, and His entire Word to be inscribed in our heart and in our mind! That's why if we seek Him, He will be found by us.

• But to what level?
• To what depth?
• How deep is going to be our relationship with God?
  • it depends on us
  • it depends on how much we are loving Him

Yes, study, prayer, those are foundational. Fasting, meditation, those are foundational things. That's how we get to love Him. That's how we seek Him in Sincerity and in Truth.

But He says, 'If you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.' And that is the Truth. Whoever forsakes God—and in the end, as we've seen even about the Eighth Day—and says, 'No, I don't want to be with You. I don't want what You are offering,' then He will cast them off forever!

It's not His desire, certainly, but that will happen, that will happen! That was a warning to Solomon!

Let's go to Psa. 92. We're going to see some more of the thoughts of God:

• with this as the backdrop
• with these instructions that God has given us
• with this understanding of Who God is
• what He's looking for us to do
• what He would love for us to do

When we understand more of the thoughts of God, which we're going to read here in Psa. 92, we're going to see the wonderful mind of our Creator. And it's just a tiny part, obviously, because God is so infinite; His understanding is infinite. That's what it says in the Psalms.

But to get to know those thoughts, when we get to know those thoughts, we're going to read:

• What is the effect of that?
• What happens when we get to know Him at a deep personal level?

Like the Psalmist did here, assuming it's David, but it doesn't say that. It's a Psalm or a song for the Sabbath Day.

We're going to read in v 5 about the thoughts of God and the thoughts in the Psalm, but then we're going to come back to the beginning because we're going to see how one thing produces the other.

Psalm 92:5: "O LORD, how great are Your works; Your thoughts are very deep."

When you think about the thoughts of God and you realize how deep they are, they're deeper than the ocean.

Verse 6: "A brutish man does not know, nor does a fool understand this…. [Understand what?] …When the wicked spring forth as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity blossom, it is that they shall be destroyed forever" (vs 6-7).

It's just meditating on how vain all these things are in this world. Even the prosperity of the wicked! When they spring forth as the grass, it's just so that they be destroyed!

Verse 8: "But You, O LORD, are on high forever…. [he understood] …For, lo, Your enemies, O LORD, for lo, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered" (vs 8-9).

When we understand the Plan of God, when we know that those who practice evil willingly—and there are many—are going to be destroyed and they will be scattered!

Verse 9: "For, lo, Your enemies, O LORD, for lo, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered."

• that's not what God wants
• that's not His desire

Think about this next verse, because this is actually prophetic. We heard from Fred at the Feast about the Psalms, the Millennium in the Psalms. Here's another verse that talks about that.

Verse 10: "But You shall lift up my horn as the wild ox, and I shall be anointed with fresh oil."

That is going to be, IF we endure to the end and THEN we become kings and priests with Jesus Christ and reign for a thousand years, we will be anointed with fresh oil! He will exile our horn as a wild ox, which means 'horn' is representative of government. He will exiled those government not because of ourselves, but just because of His love, because this is what He wants!

Just think about for a minute on the joy that God is going to have in Jesus Christ when They are anointing us as kings and priests in His Kingdom, which is probably going to happen on the Sea of Glass. But that's what it is. It says,"…I shall be anointed with fresh oil." This is prophetic!

Verse 11: "Also my eyes shall see my desire on my enemies…"

That's what's going to happen! When you read Rev. 15, it's all about what's going on in the Sea of Glass, but Rev. 16 are the vials of the wrath of God. That's what this is.

"…and my ears shall hear my desire on the wicked who rise up against me" (v 11).

Who knows if we're going to have to endure martyrdom, but then get to see this after, that they would be consumed. Not because it's our revenge, but because God is good! He wants to put them out of their misery, because when people are so evil and they are bent on destroying others, all they can have is misery the rest of their lives. We'll see that. We will be anointed with fresh oil.

He will increase His Government through us! Not because we're anything, but because that's His promise of being kings and priests in His Kingdom.

• because we love Him
• because we obey His Commandments
• because we love His way of life
• because we know how He thinks
• because we know His precepts and how He acts

When we study that, when we study His Law, then we can see that and we can start:

• to change the mind
• to change the thoughts
• to change our words and our behavior

Verse 12: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree… [that's what it's going to be] …He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon."

That's the Truth. All the righteous saints are going to be flourishing.

Verse 3: "Those that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God."

That's the promise! That's the promise in Rev. 3 to those of Philadelphia. It's true, BUT it's to the one who overcomes, it's just what it says in that section. It says to the one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall not go out anymore!

That's why it says, v 13: "Those that are planted in the house of the LORD… [in the Temple of God the Father and Jesus Christ] …shall flourish in the courts of our God."

See how these things tie together. These are prophetic. That's what God wants. These are the thoughts of God toward us!

• He wants for us to flourish like the palm tree
• He wants for us to grow like a cedar in Lebanon

He doesn't only want to do it then; He wants to do it now. He wants for us to flourish. Maybe not like the way that the world flourishes, with goods and financial blessings, maybe not that way! We know what is most important to God! He said, Wisdom is the principal thing, Get wisdom! God wants us to flourish in wisdom!

Yes, many other blessings flow from that. But that's what God wants to bless us with! That's why He was so pleased with Solomon, because he asked for that!

God said, 'In addition to, I'll give you all these other things, secondary things. They're not to be compared! Nothing is compared to wisdom!

God wants us to have wisdom. He wants us to flourish like the palm tree. He wants us to flourish in His courts, because he loves us. He loves you. He wants you to be in the Temple of God. He wants you to be in His courts forever, for the rest of eternity!

• What does He look like?
• What does He feel like?
• How beautiful is that going to be?

We have no idea, but nobody's going to be disappointed!

Verse 14: "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green"—continue to give fruit!

That's why God is the Ancient of Days. That's one of His names; the Ancient of Days. Even in old age, you will continue forever. Forever! That's a promise from God.

Verse 14: "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green…. [Why?] …To show that the LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him" (vs 14-15).

That is the reason why He will make these things happen. And you have seen it, you have seen it even with Fred. Even in old age, he's still full of sap, full of knowledge and the love of God and the Commandments of God and teaching us all!

That's to show that the Lord is upright. He's showing that. And there have been other servants of God that have lived a long life, because they are teaching the ways of God. That is a wonderful blessing.

Now, I said we were going to read the beginning of this:

Psalm 92:1: "It is good to give thanks to the LORD…"

Now that we have this picture and now we have this understanding, we have the understanding of the purpose to show that the Lord is upright. It's all about:

• giving the credit to God.
• showing others that He is our Rock
• that there is no unrighteousness in Him
• what He wants for us

So that it can go back to Him! It will never end!

The glory will continue in a circular fashion from Him to us and from us to Him. Not because of our own glory, but because everything belongs to Him, and because that is His desire!

• when you think about that
• when you think about being in the Temple of God
• when you think about being in flourishing in the courts of God

When you think about that and then you read:

Verse 1: "It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises unto Your name, O Most High."

Why? Because you see all that goodness! You want to do it. This is a Psalm for the Sabbath Day. This is what we're supposed to be doing on the Sabbath Day: meditating:

• on the Word of God
• on His plans
• on His goodness
• on His love
• on his mercy

Because that's what we want to do!.

Verse 2: "To show forth Your loving kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night."

• it is good to do that
• it is good to thank God for everything that he does for us

How?

Verse 3: "Upon the instrument of ten strings, and upon the harp, with melody of music upon the lyre."

• that's why there's emotion in song
• that's why there's emotion in praise

Yes, sometimes it can be doctrinally incorrect, and we should not listen to that. But if there are songs that are uplifting and that we know and we want to praise God, that is a good thing. God not only deserves and appreciates the worship, but He loves it. It is good to do that; it is good:

• to give thanks to the Lord
• to sing praises to His name
• to sing in our houses
• to sing on the Sabbath Day

if you know how to play an instrument

• to play a song

This is very good, this edifies you, but it praises God! That's an amazing thing when we see the thoughts of God. We want to praise Him, because He deserves it, because everything that He has done is absolutely amazing! It's wonderful! Those thoughts are very deep!

Verse 4: "For You, LORD, have made me glad with Your work…" What work?

• the work in our mind
• the work in our heart

• when He's transforming us
• when you let Him fully dwell in you
• when you really put yourself in His hands

you will see more of that work

• when you see those good works that He does

because we don't take any credit!

• when we see that work that He does in us
  • we're going to be glad
  • we're going to want to praise Him and praise Him more every time

"…I will exult in the works of Your hands" (v 4). That's you and I, brethren!

Everything else on this Earth is going to be burned up! The only works that are going to be everlasting are the saints, and those who are called later during the Millennium, and during the Great White Throne Judgment on the Eighth Day.

That is the only thing that is going to last. Those are the works of the hands of God. That's why it says in:

Verse 5: "O LORD, how great are Your works; Your thoughts are very deep." Because the thoughts of God are for us:

• to be in His Kingdom
• to love Him
• to serve Him forever
• to be perfected in
• love
• understanding
• mercy
• patience
• all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit

To be truly perfected!

And that's why when we meditate on that, and when we understand that that's what the Sabbath is for, that's why God created the Sabbath and the 7th day of creation for all mankind. That just blows you away.

We have a God that is not distant; He's not far away, millions and millions of light years away. No, He is close to us in Spirit and in Truth:

• because we're crying out to Him
• because we are searching for Him
• because we love Him
• because we want His way of life

We also want to know Him; we want to know His thoughts!

Then His thoughts toward us, of giving us the Kingdom, which Jesus said that He greatly delights in that. It's an amazing thing when you think about it. When you really meditate on the goodness of God and His great compassion toward all of us.

Psa. 40—to continue to read some of the thoughts of God, because the more that we read these things from this perspective, knowing that this is the mind of God the Father and of Jesus Christ, this gives us a different perspective. It draws us closer to God in Spirit and in Truth, and in reality, in our walking with Them!

Psalm 40:4: "Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust and does not respect the proud, nor those who turn aside to lies."

That's what a lot of people do nowadays, they turn aside to lies and they put their hope in men, and we're not to do that. We cannot put our hope in any man. The Lord has to be our trust.

We are not to "…respect the proud, nor to those who turn aside to lies…" thinking that we're going to do well.

Verse 5: "O LORD my God…"—and this is a prayer here! This is the Psalm of David. But he's telling God:

Verse 5: O LORD my God, many things You have done… [this is also prophetic] …Your wonderful works and Your thoughts which are toward us… [See his meditation?] …there is none to compare unto You…"—none!

There's nobody like God the Father and Jesus Christ:

• in Their glory
• in Their power
• in Their love

"…if I could declare and speak of them… [speak of those thoughts which are toward us] …they would be more than can be told" (v 5).

God would never be able to finish putting on paper every thought that He has toward you personally, because He loves you! He loves you so much that:

• He called you
• He gave you His Word
• He gave you His covenant
• He gave His own son for the forgiveness of our sins

There could be more than can be told and certainly written because we can say much more than can be written. But he says there more than can be told. We should meditate like this, too. We should stop and think on:

• everything that God has done for us
• everything that He has given us
• everything that He wants to give us

And put our eyes on Jesus Christ! Fixed on the Author and the Finisher of our faith!

Think about how our eyes are to be on Him straight, straight before us, pondering the path; asking for wisdom every day.

Because when we think about that, when we meditate on Their thoughts, and They reveal Their thoughts behind the words that are written in the Bible! That's going to blow your mind away.

This is what David found; talk about the Old Testament where it's all of the Laws: the Levitical laws and the sacrificial laws.

Verse 6: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire..."

David understood this. We know this is prophetic. This is also speaking about Jesus Christ Himself, He was the perfect sacrifice! So, think about it. It says sacrifice and offering you did not desire.

"…My ears You have opened; burnt offering and sin offering You have not required" (v 6).

It says "…my ears You have opened…"—to hear and to understand!

• How many people read the Bible but don't understand it?
• How many people read the Bible and though they understand it, they don't obey it or they don't believe it!

If He has opened our ears, it's to understand!

But there is another meaning, because this is prophetic of Jesus Christ! when David says "…my ears You have opened…"

In Deuteronomy it said that if you had a slave and that slave at the end of the seven years that you were supposed to release that slave. If that slave says 'I will not leave you because he loves you and it goes well with him with you. 'Then you shall take an awl and make a hole in his ear and he shall be your servant forever.'

That is part of the meaning of this. That awl that crosses the ear and says 'indented servant forever.' Why? Just because I love you. I want you to be my master forever!

• that's what God desires
• that's the example that Jesus Christ said perfectly of how to do that

He was the perfect servant of the Father! He gave His life completely. And He always did His will. He always did what the Father desired.

When David says "…my ears You have opened…" it's because it was that perfect slave whose ear was open literally with that awl so that He would be that servant forever and we want to be God's servants forever!

He has opened our ears to understand, now we willingly should offer ourselves so that He does that, as well, so that we become His servants forever.

"…burnt offering and sin offering You have not required" (v 6).

This is the result of that opening the ear of that willing sacrifice as a servant forever.

Verse 7 "Then I said, 'Lo, I come; in the Scroll of the Book it is written of Me… [this is Jesus Christ]…I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your Law is within My heart'" (vs 7-8).

Think about it! Here David was getting the thoughts of God directly from God the Father! Prophetic about His Son Jesus Christ and what He was going to do.

When you think about that, that he was getting those thoughts of Jesus Christ and what He was going to do, He was going to offer Himself and what God desired.

"…'Lo, I come; in the Scroll of the Book it is written of Me; I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your Law is within My heart.'"

• the perfect fulfillment of the will of God
• the perfect fulfillment
• that's the thought of God
• that's His desire

Are we willing to let Him dwell in us more fully through the Holy Spirit so that we can obey in the way that Jesus Christ obeyed and be more like Him?

This is an amazing thing when we think about it; when we delight to do His will!

Psa. 139—because this is personal, this is so very personal.  I know that sometimes in the comments of some of the other messages about the thoughts of God, this one has popped up many times, because it also talks about the thoughts of God.  It mentions them.

Psa. 139—this shows personally the depth of the relationship that God wants to have with us. Where David starts meditating again, just meditating on God!

David is always meditating on Him, and he's reflecting upon that. That he can't go away from God. That he can't hide from God.

Psalm 139:13: "For You have possessed my reins; You have knit me together in my mother's womb." It's an amazing thing how a baby is formed in the mother's womb, it's a miracle!

Verse 14: "I will praise You, for I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well"—and so do we, brethren!

We know that we were "…awesomely and wonderfully made…" That only God could have created beings like us, human beings in general! It's a wonderful creation with the ability:

• to reason
• to think
• to make decisions
• to love
• to feel

Obviously the other side, too! We have capacity to do so much damage and use all those thoughts and emotions for evil!

But the creation of God, the way that he designed it, in His image according to His likeness, that's wonderful!

"…it says Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well. My substance was not hidden from You when I was made in secret…" (vs 14-15).

It is truly a secret! That's why a mother doesn't even know that she's pregnant until a few days/weeks afterward.

It's "…in secret and intricately formed in the lowest parts of the earth" (v 15).

It's talking about when that embryo begins to develop, those tiny cells. But at that moment of conception is a spark of life! Then it says:

Verse 16: "Your eyes did see my substance…"

What substance? Those cells, "…yet being unformed…" (v 16)—because it doesn't have a shape.

"…and in Your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned…" (v 16).

Sometimes other translations talk about that their days were numbered before, but it doesn't say that. In A Faithful Version it says:

"…ALL my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned… [that's how God made us] …when as yet, there were none of them" (v 16).

So, God can see our substance. He saw our development. It's amazing that He cares and loves every person that is being developed in the womb of the mother. That's why He hates abortion, because everyone is a potential son or a daughter of God!

These are the thoughts of David here: v 17: "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!" When God shows you:

• that He loves you
• that He has a plan for you
• that He wants you
• to know Him
• to understand Him
• to meditate upon Him

Think about David when he was a young boy out in the field and just looking up at the stars and being amazed. I don't know if you've seen the stars in a place where there's no light, nothing; in the middle of the ocean or middle of the desert. You look up and it almost feels like they're coming down. You've never seen something so spectacular like that!

That's what David saw when he was with the sheep. That's how he knew!

Psalm 8:4: "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? For You have made him a little lower than God…" (vs 4-5).

All of these other thoughts, those are the thoughts that the God gave him. That's why when Goliath came, it's like this is nothing.

• I've seen Your majesty
• I've seen Your power

David saw what God had done for him in killing the lion! I mean, it's just amazing what God did for David, even as a young boy.

It's amazing what God is doing! It is even more amazing what He's doing in your heart and in your mind! Because they're not physical things, they're spiritual things, in your heart, in your mind:

• in the way that you behave
• in the way that you are changed
• in the core of your being

Those are precious thoughts, those are the thoughts of God and they're precious to us, too! They should be.

Psalm 139:17: "…How great is the sum of them!"

 His Kingdom! I mean, we read a tiny little bit at the end of Revelation of the New Jerusalem and what it's going to be like. Those are the best words that the Apostle John was inspired to write, but it probably doesn't even do it justice.

I don't know if you've taken a picture somewhere out in nature, like of a sunset or something, and it's so majestic. Then you take a picture of a full moon or something. It doesn't do it justice, feel like that's what's happening. And those last chapters of Revelation, it doesn't do it justice to what is going to be! Those thoughts, the sum of them, it's amazing!

Verse 18: "If I should count them, they are more than the sand… [I couldn't even count those grains of sand; imagine] …more than all the sand; when I awake, I am still with You."

Who is doing this? David was reflecting this, because it will do something in us. IFwe're thinking about the thoughts of God, IFwe read this and know and understand that these are the thoughts of God, this is what is going to also generate in us:

Verse 23: "Search me, O God, and know my heart…"

It's not only us knowing the heart of God, it's that God will know our heart!

"…try me and know my thoughts" (v 23)—he wasn't trusting in himself!

David was trusting in God; he was asking God to come and see his heart. We should do the same! Ask God:

Come, please, come and try, know my heart. Come and know my thoughts. Try me and see if any wicked way is in me and lead me in the way everlasting, because it's not in man to direct his steps.

He knew that very well, and this is how it's done: In the dark of night when you're laying in your bed, it's just you and God, and you think about the goodness of God and His entire plan, and then you ask Him to do this, it's life changing:

• it will change your mind
• it will change your heart
• it will change you forever

That's what we want! We want to be with God for all eternity.

Heb. 4—these are part of the thoughts of God, and this is the explanation: How is it that this takes place? When we read the Bible, when we understand something, not of our own, it has to be revealed, because people can read this and read this and read this, but unless they're searching for God in Truth, and then God decides to open their eyes, they cannot see it. We couldn't see it either. Before we are called we can't see these things, but that is just part of that love of God!

As we read these things, let's remember what we read in Proverbs of holding fast his words, of keeping his commandments.

Hebrews 4:12: "For the Word of God is living and powerful…"

Not only that, not only His words, His Commandments, everything that is written, the Word of God is Jesus Christ Himself!

"…[He] is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of both soul and spirit, and of both the joints and the marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart" (v 12).

But God is also giving us understanding of His own mind and His thoughts right here. He's also sharing, it has to be a two-way street. There has to be no secrets with God from us to Him, but a pure and sincere heart, really putting ourselves in His hands, because He is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart! Not just the thought, but the intent.

• Why did we think what we thought?
• What is the reason?

There's no psychologist that can compare to God. So, with a psychologist you can sit down on a couch and he starts asking you questions, so he can draw a lot of things and draw a lot of conclusions. But God knows those thoughts and intents of the heart!

He doesn't even need to ask us anything. He knows us better than we know ourselves! He knows why, and He's patient with us. He knows how much we can take at a time, even in our trials and our tribulations. He does that.

Verse 13: "And there is not a created thing that is not manifest in His sight; but all things are naked and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account."

This is not to shame us or to make us sad. NO! This is for us to be encouraged to come to God with all our heart, and pour out our heart before God, not only in the trials, but

• also in the rejoicing
• also in the thankfulness
• also in the praising
• also in the understanding of His mind and His thoughts toward us

which are more than can be told!

That's what God wants, and that's why He sent His only begotten son, and He gave him up for our life.

Verse 14: "Having, therefore, a great High Priest, Who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold fast the confession of our faith."

Hold fast My words, what we read in Proverbs: Hold fast the confession of our faith, which means IF we believe it, we're going to do it! We're going to live according to that.

Verse 15: "For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot empathize with our weaknesses, but One Who was tempted in all things according to the likeness of our own temptations; yet, He was without sin." The thoughts of God, He's communicating:

• it can be done
• you can be transformed
• you can overcome sin
• you can overcome your sinful nature

That doesn't mean that you're going to—at some point—from that point on in this physical life sin anymore. That doesn't mean that, but you will overcome sin; you will not practice sin! That's what it means.

Verse 16: "Therefore, we should come with boldness to the Throne of Grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

That's what God wants. God wants for us to come—just like mainstream Christians say, come as you are—yeah, come as you are on your knees, on your knees to God, just you and Him

• no minister
• no pastor
• no priest
• between you and God
• you go as you are to God, and you pour out your heart before Him

You read the Bible knowing that those are the thoughts of God and what He really decides.

There's also a lot of thoughts of man. We can see a lot of the human wisdom and the human works and the human mistakes. It's a book to obtain wisdom, the entire Bible, because that's what God wants!

1-Chronicles 29—we're going to read some of the words of David when he blessed the Lord before the congregation. When you read the words that David is saying here, you can see that he knew the thoughts of God, that God had revealed to him a lot of things!

He has revealed them to us, as well, because David wrote them. We just have to ask God to reveal those things behind the words: the heart, the intentions, everything that he wrote in here. The emotions, because we don't have a distant God. God is very near to us! He loves us so much!

1-Chronicles 29:10: "And David blessed the LORD before all the congregation. And David said, 'Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel our Father, forever and ever. O LORD, Yours is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and, the majesty, for all in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as Head over all'" (vs 10-11),

• he acknowledged all of these things
• he knew God well
• he knew the thoughts of God

It's an amazing thing to see his words and his attitude.

Verse 12: "And the riches and the honor are from You, and You reign over all. And in Your hand is power and might. And it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name" (vs 12-13).

That's what we ought to do. When we're together on the Sabbath, or we're by ourselves, because the Sabbath is not just a day about God. It's God's day!

• it's to thank Him in prayer
• it's to go to Him is to study His words
• it's to meditate to connect with Him

Verse 13: "Now, therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things are from You, and we have given to You that which is Yours" (vs 13-14)—which is also what we do when we give offerings and tithes and everything is the same!

Verse 15: "For we are strangers before You, and pilgrims, as our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and none abides." That's true! He knows how frail we are!

Verse 17: "I know also, my God, that You try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness…. [that's true wisdom; which is going to lead us to what's right] …As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here to offer willingly to You. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and prepare their heart to You" (vs 17-18).

That is what we should be asking, that our hearts would be prepared to Him!

Verse 19: "And give to Solomon my son a perfect heart… [To do what?] …to keep Your Commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the magnificent temple for which I have made ready."

One can only speculate how important that temple to God was in comparison to the first thing that David asked: "…a perfect heart to keep Your Commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do all these things…"

Because now we know we are the Temple of God's Holy Spirit! How He is building His Temple spiritually in each one of us.

As we've seen with the thoughts of God, we see the thoughts that He has toward us:

• to protect us
• to keep us
• to teach us
• to show us

that our thoughts of ourselves are evil!

• He has to dwell in us
• He has to give us His Spirit
• He loves us
• He wants us to be in His Kingdom
• He wants us for us to be kings and priests with Him, He wants us to love Him with all the heart first

He shows us exactly how to do it in repeating these words every day to our children and thinking about Him all the time, when He gives us all these things.

The Apostle Paul says; Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything; but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God in everything; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding…" (vs 6-7).

When you feel that peace of God, there's nothing like it; nothing! That peace of God:

"…shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus" (v 7).

Paul tells us what we are to think on: v 8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; IF there be any virtue and IF there be any praise, think on these things."

Scriptural References:

• Proverbs 4:1-9, 20-27
• Deuteronomy 5:32
• 1-Chronicles 28:9
• Psalm 92:5-15, 1
• Psalm 40:4-8
• Psalm 139:13-17
• Psalm 8:4-5
• Psalm 139:17-18, 23
• Hebrews 4:12-16
• 1-Chronicles 29:10-15, 17
• Philippians 4:6-8

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Deuteronomy 6
• Psalm 1
• Jeremiah 31
• Revelation 15; 16; 3

Also Referenced: Message {truthofGod.org}
            The Solomon Syndrome by Fred R. Coulter

EE:bo/po
Transcribed: 4-25-25

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