Covered In The Dust Of Your Rabbi

Covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi

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May you be covered the dust of your Rabbi is a Jewish saying that basically means may you walk so close to your teacher that you are covered with his dust. (See note at end of message for more info) As we get in to this message and continue our series I want you to understand that thought two ways. The first is that we should follow hard after Jesus and sit at His feet and receive instruction, the second is that if we do there will be tangible benefits in our lives.

Intro: We are in a series on Secrets of the Lord, we began with some general observations about secrets that God has, some in the natural world, and some in the spiritual world.

When the Lord will return is a secret.

The angel who met Samson’s father refused to tell his name saying it was a secret.

We also noted God has secrets He wants to share. Call unto me...

Shall I hide from Abraham that what I am about to do

Then last week we talked about chasing vultures away. When God shared the secret of Israel’s future vultures came and tried to steal the sacrifice which was the basis of the covenant.

There are spiritual powers that are actively engaged in keeping us from trusting that we are in a covenant relationship with God and that is the only basis of His favor.

The Galation church was bewitched about this.

This week we are going to jump ahead in this series and get into Psalm 91, then we will backtrack a little next week, and then get back to Psalm 91. Reason jumping ahead I got this download for this message and like Jeremiah of old I am weary from trying to hold it in.

Psalm 91 verse 1 and Pslam 25 :14 are our 2 key passages for this series here they are again:

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Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalms 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. (KJV)

Secret Place is the place you hide. The place we hide is in the finished work of Jesus, as the basis of our protection and blessings.

There are 4 places of secrets in Psalm 91 we are going to look at just one of them today. You will soon see the connection to it and the title of this message.

PPT 4 Text

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalms 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psalms 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler...

So in this short passage there are 2 secret places, the first is the secret place of the most High, and the second is the snare of the fowler.

How is that a secret place? Traps are placed in hidden, secret places. One secret place is a place of blessing the other a secret place of entrapment.

The text has a little ambiguity in it, so that I cannot fully say whether it is saying you will be kept from the snare of the fowler or you will be delivered out of the snare of the fowler.

But it appears to me that the second meaning is the more likely.

This begs the question that if one is dwelling in the secret place of the most high, how do they wind up in the snare in the first place.

2 Quick reasons:

They are a novice. Illus: animals learning of their enemies. (I ain’t doing that again)

Their nose got the better of them. (Attracted to the meat and didn’t pay attention to the trap)

Even if you have foolishly placed yourself in one of life's snares hold on to this word this morning, “Surely he will deliver you”, He will save His people from their sins, I believe in saving grace.

Now I want to ask you a very interesting question, the hunters will know the answer to this question.

Where does a hunter place his traps?

On or right next to the path where the intended prey goes to get water or food.

Put your thinking caps on now and you should be able to figure out where I am going with this.

Some of the most offended and bitter people I have met in life, got wounded in church, or by church folks. The snare of the enemy was placed where they feed and rest.