I'm Better Than This!

Getting To Know Me!

Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)

13 For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14 (NLT)

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

I’m Better Than THIS!

Getting To Know Me.

Psalm 139:13-16 (Message)

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother’s womb.

I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I’d even lived one day.

The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Psalm 139)

139:13–14 In spite of popular opinion, we are not the products of evolution. We are not here by chance. David affirms that God had not only created him, but he had actually knit him together in [his] mother’s womb (139:13). You, too, are a work of art that God put together by hand. You have been remarkably and wondrously made (139:14). No matter the circumstances surrounding your conception, no matter your ethnicity or gender, your existence is intentional. You are not a mistake, for God makes no mistakes. You are created in the image of God (Imago Dei, Made In His Image Gen 1:27) with purpose and meaning. This truth is to be the foundation for a person’s self-worth and self-esteem.

What we are wrestling with is what God has made us and what we allow life to turn us into.

So this type of fight creates a problem within ourselves as to who we say we are and who we actually are.

In all of us, we only want to be known by who we say we are. Not who we actually are. The scriptures teaches us, that as a man or woman thinketh in his or her heart, so is he or she. So this gives us a little clarity on what we need in this service today by drawing the line to the fact that “you are what you think!”

This type of thinking creates incongruence.

Incongruence in psychology is when the real self does not align well with the ideal self. The real self is the self-image and the present moment in time. The ideal self is the self-projection of who the individual wants to be, or how they see themselves in the future.

For years I’ve taught in this church, that it’s one thing to lie to others. However; the worst thing you can do is lie to yourself. I will add today that it is impossible to lie to God as well as it is impossible for God to lie.

Three things about God we all need to understand that they do not change because they describe who He is.

God Is:

* Omniscient

* Omnipresent

* Omnipotent

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Psalm 139)

God’s omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence are the subjects of David’s meditations in this beautiful psalm. In this psalm David asked God to examine him thoroughly to affirm his innocence. The psalm has four strophes of six verses each. The message progresses significantly from one subject to another. His first meditation is on God’s knowledge, that every aspect of his life was searched out and controlled by what the Lord knew. He then realized it was impossible to escape from such omniscient control, no matter how far or fast he might go, for God is everywhere. David then stated that God has such control over him because in His power He created Him secretly and planned his life with great care. On the basis of these meditations, David then affirmed his loyalty to God and prayed for God to prove him by examining him.

God is:

Omniscient - He is ALL knowing. Everything we are just getting to know, God already knows. Everything that is present knowledge to us is old news to God. Everything we are just learning about us, is everything God already knew about us.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary

A. The omniscience of the Lord (139:1–6) 139:1. The theme of verses 1–6 is announced in the opening verse: the LORD knew David penetratingly. David said God’s knowledge came as if He had scoured every detail of David’s life and thus knew him intimately. 139:2–4. Samples of how well God knew David are stated here. The Lord (You is emphatic in Heb.; cf. v. 13) knew every move he made; the two opposites of sitting and rising represent all his actions (this is a figure of speech known as a merism; cf. vv. 3, 8). God knew not only David’s actions; He also knew his motivations (thoughts; cf. v. 17). Afar evidently refers not to space but to time.The daily activities of the psalmist were also thoroughly familiar to the Lord. The opposites of going out in the morning and lying down at night represent the whole day’s activities (another merism; cf. vv. 2, 8). But the one sample that epitomizes God’s omniscience is in verse 4. Before the psalmist could frame a word on his tongue, the LORD was thoroughly familiar with what he was about to say. (The Heb. for “word” is millâh and the similar-sounding word for completely is kūllāḥ)139:5–6. David’s initial response to this staggering knowledge was that he was troubled. Like many who respond to the fact of God’s omniscience, he thought it was confining, that God had besieged him and cupped His hand over him.Moreover, this kind of knowledge was out of David’s control—it was too wonderful for him. The word “wonderful” is in the emphatic position, at the beginning of the sentence. In other words divine omniscience is too high for humans to comprehend.

2. Omnipresent - Present in every place at the same time. Moving in our individual lives while remaining presently seated on His throne in Heave

B. The omnipresence of the Lord (139:7–12) 139:7. The thought of such confining knowledge (vv. 1–6) may have prompted David’s desire to escape, as verses 7–12 suggest. This is indicated in verse 7 by two rhetorical questions: there is absolutely no place where he could escape from the presence of the Lord (cf. Jer. 23:24). 139:8–10. Hypothetical examples of where David might try to escape are given here. He first asserted that the Lord is present in the heavens above and in sheol (NIV marg.) below. These opposites signify that all areas in between (a third merism in this psalm; cf. vv. 2–3) are also in the Lord’s presence. Moreover, if he could fly at the speed of light (the wings of the dawn) from the east across the sky to the west (far side of the Mediterranean Sea) he could not escape from the Lord. God’s presence then began to take on a new meaning for the psalmist, as if the light were dawning on him. Now, he stated, the hand of the Lord would lead and comfort him. 139:11–12. David developed the theme of light a little further. The darkness might bruise him (probably referring to the oppressive nature of darkness). (Hide is an interpretive rendering of šûp̱, “to crush or bruise”; cf. “crush” in Gen. 3:15; Job 9:17, its only other uses in the OT.) But David could not be concealed from God, for darkness and light are the same to Him because of His omniscience and omnipresence.

3. Omnipotent - All Powerful

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (C. The Omnipotence of the Lord (139:13–18))

C. The omnipotence of the Lord (139:13–18) The thought that darkness cannot conceal anyone from the Lord (vv. 11–12) brought to David’s mind this meditation in verses 13–18: God knew all about him when He created him in his mother’s womb. Verse 13 begins with “For,” indicating that this strophe (vv. 13–18) explains the preceding two strophes (vv. 1–6, 7–12): since God can create a person, He certainly knows him intimately and is with him everywhere. 139:13–14. The theme of verses 13–18 is announced here: the Lord (You is emphatic in Heb.; cf. v. 2) created him in his mother’s womb. The language is figurative in that creating and knitting describe God’s sovereign superintendence over the natural process of reproduction (on knitting; cf. Job 10:11). This fact prompted the psalmist to break forth in praise over the thought of how marvelously he had been made. Even David’s rudimentary knowledge of the marvels of the human body led him to be in awe and wonder. The words wonderfully and wonderful are mindful of God’s marvelous knowledge (Ps. 139:6). 139:15–16. Then David stressed certain features of God’s superintendence over him. In the womb he was woven together (lit., “embroidered”; cf. “knit,” v. 13, suggesting his veins and arteries). When he was being formed in the womb he was as remote to the human eye as the lower part of the earth (cf. comments on Job 1:21). But God saw every detail. David’s frame means his skeleton and his unformed body is his embryo. Moreover, God prerecorded all the days of the psalmist before he was even born. This statement may mean that God determined how long he would live, but in view of verses 1–4, it more likely refers to everyday details. God marvelously planned out his life. 139:17–18. ( Look at your neighbor and say: Your steps are ordered) This thought led David to conclude that the Lord’s plans (thoughts; cf. v. 2) for His people are most precious and in fact are innumerable. They are also most relevant, for each morning when he awakened, God was still with him, extending His thoughts toward him.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (D. The Loyalty of David (139:19–24))

D. The loyalty of David (139:19–24) The psalmist’s attention then turned to the trouble he was in. So he asserted his loyalty to the Lord and took comfort from his knowledge of the Lord’s presence. 139:19–22. The psalmist petitioned God to slay the wicked men who were trying to kill him. These enemies apparently were taking the name of the LORD in vain (cf. Ex. 20:7), using it for an evil purpose. Because they were God’s enemies, David affirmed that they were his enemies too and that he would have nothing to do with them. To hate them meant to reject them (cf. comments on Mal. 1:3), to disavow any association with them. 139:23–24. David concluded this psalm with a prayer for God to search and test him (cf. 26:2) in order to prove his loyalty, thus showing that he was not like the wicked mentioned in 139:19–22. The verb “to search,” is also used in verse 1 in a statement about God. David asked God to test him as a refiner tests metal. Since God knows everything (cf. vv. 1–6) He would also know David’s anxious thoughts (the same Heb. word is rendered “anxiety” in 94:19). God would also know if the psalmist had any offensive way (lit., “way of pain,” i.e., pain caused by being afflicted for wrongdoing). Such an examination David was convinced, would yield evidence of his loyalty. The Lord in His leading would then preserve his life (everlasting, ‘ôlām, probably means prolonged life) here as he followed the Lord. All believers who come to understand the attributes of God discussed in this psalm find them a great source of comfort, and a great prompting to obey Him.

Well, now that we have a clear picture of God’s omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and David’s loyalty to God, the text and the subject don’t match. This creates a theological delima for me. So that I am not guilty of pretexting the text and Isagesising the text. I need to find out why God gave me this subject, when I don’t see it in the text.

So what is God’s message to this church today if this is all the TRUTH? What is God challenging in us today?

Here it is: I know how God sees me. I know God knows everything about me. My problem is me. I don’t always see in me, what God sees in me.

Child of God, today, if we are going to walk out of this room today free, we are going to have to admit a few things.

Because I don’t always see what God sees, I waste time seeking validation from blind people.

I struggle with believing I am who God says I am because of what my enemies say I am.

I have given my enemies more power over my mind than I have God.

I have allowed people to place the labels on me that I know didn’t come from God.

The battle with myself has turned me into a totally different person that who God has made me.

Because I don’t want to be rejected, I destroy and sabatoge every opportunity that God gives me just so I can say, nothing good ever happens for me and my enemies can be right about me.

I call my insecurities, humility.

I have defined myself by my own mistakes instead of what God has said.

I’m tired of me, I don’t like me anymore. How I behave is NOT who I really am. I’ve lost myself in the struggle.

I want to be me again, even if I have to be me, by myself and I never want to lose me again. Lord! Please HELP ME....NOW!!!!

Bonus: I’m Better Than This!!!

Trouble has a way of defining us. It has a way of turning us from sweet to bitter. It has a way of making us waste every opportunity God has given us and sabatoging ourselves and blaming other people for destroying our lives.

Trouble has a way of causing us to go on a life detour away from our destiny and before we know it, 20 years have passed by and we are a totally different person.

David asked God to investigate His life. I think we should come to the altar today and ask God to do the same thing.

Here are four things the Lord gave me for us to do today:

* Drop The Labels

* Change The Habits

* Renew Your Mind Daily

* Know Your Worth