Feb 2013, felt strong call to pastor a church – no desire to pastor, career musician, wasn’t career path –over series of days, God spoke in several ways, through pastor, friend, and visions – by end of weekend, convinced called to plant church, in NYC – step one from the Lord? Sell your house, not train, not go back to school –reached out to realtor, and before market, sold - now, homeless and ready for adventure – a year later, transitioned back onto staff at WoodsEdge to plant Restoration in Woodforest – For several years, NYC in back of mind, wondering when call to move –January 1, 2018, journaling, asked the Lord about New York – Here is what he told me: “Greg, I wanted you to pastor a church, but I knew you would never pursue that, so I put NYC in front of you to propel you into the actual adventure I had for you.” sneaky…but right on -needed sense of adventure to initiate me into what has actually been greatest professional experience of my life. God knows me, what makes me tick, motivates me, gets me moving, because HE CREATED ME –

We are continuing in the Psalms this morning, explore one of the more intimate Psalms, 139.  reading David’s journal, and his relationship with God – And he lays out what theologians today call the OMNIS of God. The Omniscience of God (he knows all), the Omni-presence of God (he’s everywhere), the Omnipotence of God (he’s all-powerful). However, this Psalm is not just about God’s qualities, it is about the intimate relationship David has with his God. Psalm 139 is broken into 4 sections: The All-Knowing God (V1-6), The All-Present God (V7-12), The All-Powerful God (V13-18), David’s Response to God (V19-24).

1. The All-Knowing God
V1 – “ Lord…” – Relationship is very clear here – Master/servant – This is so important – for some of you this morning, God is an important PART of your life, but he is just that- a PART – In the church, it is common to hear the idea of trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior – what that means is you are trusting that his death on the cross is sufficient to pay for your sin, and you are inviting him to be the LEADER of your life – the issue of Lordship is an issue of control – He wants FULL CONTROL of your life, he wants it ALL

“You have searched me and known me…” YOU KNOW ME.  Every part of me. There is such an intimate feeling here – the all-knowing God has FULL ACCESS to my life, and is INTERESTED and engaged enough to get into the details - there is nothing hidden from you.  Statement of vulnerability, laid bare. Reminds me of Peter in John 21:17 when Jesus asked 3 time if he loved him – third time, Peter says, “Lord, you know ALL things….” God is in the details. You may have grown up in a stream of religion where God was hands-off, 30K ft, uninvolved – in fact, easier that way. Less accountability, no relationship. Unfortunately, not who God is. Whether you admit or recognize, God KNOWS IT ALL.  he is involved – how involved?

V2-4 – Sit, rise, thoughts, know where I’m going, when I go to sleep, familiar with ALL my ways – He knows my every move, my every thought – knows what I’m going to say before I say it –This is not picture of an uninvolved God. Some might say it’s a picture of a stalker! But I just say he’s ALL IN on you! He is ALL KNOWING.  It makes me think about the closest human to me, Yvonne. We have known each other for over 40 years, been married for 33 years in September. She knows me well. Knows my tendencies, likes/dislikes, has me on GPS lockdown. And, my relationship with her is a fraction of how God knows me.

V5 – He not only knows, but is creating a way for you – “hems me in…”  picture of protection, shaping your path. Because God knows your thoughts and tendencies, he has a tailor-made plan that fits you to a tee. Just doesn’t get more intimate that that. Just like the way God led us to plant in Woodforest. He knew where we would thrive and flourish. He knew I was made for this. He knew this was my E210 calling (Eph. 2:10).

V6 – Revel in God’s knowing! Knowing he is in control and has made a way is exciting and comforting. I don’t have to have it all figured out, I just get to be obedient (Master/Servant) and follow – this is either really good or really unnerving depending on your vantage point. Control is an illusion, and you’re either fighting for it, or recognizing that you’ve never had it.

2. The All-Present God
V7-10 – “Where can I go that you aren’t?” NOWHERE.  God is everywhere. We often say, “God showed up” or we invite your presence, God.” God doesn’t “show up”, he’s already here. He is EVER-PRESENT. It can be intimidating. Heaven or hell. The heights or the depths, you are there, Wings of dawn (sun rises in east) or far side of the sea (West), you hold me, you guide me – not a situation in your life that doesn’t include the presence of God. – Psalm 103:11-12, Romans 8:38-39 He is all-present BECAUSE HE LOVES.

He is there in your job loss, your financial pressure, on the operating table, when a child is sick, when you lose a loved one, in your struggling marriage, on the other side of your divorce, in your addiction, in your shame, your guilt, your secret, he is ALWAYS present – and he is present BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU - you can’t check your spirituality at the door and opt out of his presence. When I was in my most broken place, God was most present.

V11-12 – “Darkness is as light to you…”  When God is present, there is NO darkness. remember, David was well-versed in trying to hide – he slept with another man’s wife, got her pregnant, tried to cover it up and ultimately had him killed – And God was present the entire time. God stepped into David’s darkness, exposing him through the prophet Nathan. You may find yourself in the shadows, thinking you are hiding from God, but he sees you, and is always down to EXPOSE you to the light. Why? BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU (John 3:16) - And bigger picture, John 1:1-5, God stepped into a dark world through Jesus – He is All-Present, and All-in on helping you become who he has made you to be.

3. The All-Powerful God (V13-18)
V13-15 – this is a picture of an intimate, yet all-powerful creator.  “You formed my inward parts, you knit me together in my mother’s womb…” - God, the creator, took special care in creating you. And, we are incredibly, wonderfully made! Augustine once said, “Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” So easily forget how intricate and made by divine design we are. Is this sheer chance? No way.  Carl Sagan, noted astronomer and agnostic (read excerpt).  Only an all-powerful God could create such intricacies. And, this is from a guy who studied the intricacies of galaxies. He acknowledged that someone or something powerful created all things, including man. You can struggle with HOW God works, but not THAT he exists, and his POWER to create ALL THINGS.

V16 – Not only are we created by an all-powerful God, but our ways are created and established by him – Before the foundation of the world, God established his plan for you, where you would live, who you would be, what you would do (Acts 17:24-27)

V17-18 – This all-powerful God has you on his mind – let that sink in – you are not forgotten, you are not an afterthought – The all-powerful God is an expert ON YOU.

4. Call to Personal Holiness
V19-22 – interesting caveat in this Psalm – shifts toward vindication from enemy – here is the context – he is saying “any enemy of God is an enemy of mine”, meaning, “I will honor God by not letting the enemy into my camp” – this speaks directly to who we allow in our lives – we have to let God – this all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful God – be the standard bearer in all things, especially relationships – how do we know that people are bad for us? Do they represent what we know about God?

“hatred…” – no compromise. You don’t just say, “I have to take this in moderation.” You say no and walk away. What breaks God’s heart, breaks our heart. Complete allegiance to God and his purposes. God’s nature frames our relationship.

V23-24 – Begins where he ended – in verse 1, he acknowledges he has been searched and he asks God to do it again. Trust has been established.  David has been exposed, but is still in tact - inspect me, probe me, find the impurity, the offensiveness, anything keeping me from you – then and only then will I know you the way you know me – If you are hiding, fear of being exposed, you will not ask the Lord to search you.

CLOSE:
Psalm 139 is insight from David on an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful God, who has made himself known in such a way that David is adjusting his life to be close to him. He is hungering and thirsting for the EVERLASTING WAY.

For you and me, God has made himself known through Jesus. And, he has made himself accessible to his presence and power through his Spirit.