Revelation: Christ and the Churches

The LORD Thinking of You - Part 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2007-01-07

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver explores the biblical truth that God thinks about His people personally and individually. Building on the previous message about believers thinking upon the Lord, he examines Psalm 40 and other passages to show that God's thoughts toward His saints are plenteous, profound, precious, peaceful, and personal. He emphasizes that God's thoughts are revealed in Scripture and in Christ, and that believers should respond with humility, gratitude, and meditation on God.

[John Weaver] Psalm 40. And of course, we're going to take a few moments and review last week's message since this is going to be actually part two from last week. I tell you what, if you would just go ahead and turn in your Bibles, not just to Psalm 40, but to Malachi chapter three. Malachi chapter three was the text that we used last week. And I want to just simply read that text by way of review. Because last week I brought the message, Thinking of the Lord. And I asked, did you ever think of the Lord? And if you did so, how often did you think of the Lord? And of course, what were your thoughts concerning the Lord? And the Bible in Malachi chapter 3, looking in verse 16, the Bible says this, Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. and the Lord harpened and heard it. And a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name.

[John Weaver] And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." If you will remember, I gave you the context in Malachi chapter 3 and told you it was a context of judgment. And I asked what in the world were the saints of God to do in a time of persecution, in a time of oppression and tyranny and suffering? And the answer is in verse 16, and they that feared the Lord, they did two things.

[John Weaver] Number one, they spake often one to another. And I pointed out that was only exhortation and encouragement and counsel, seeking counsel and giving counsel. But then they also thought upon his name. And I pointed out the fact The thinking upon the name of the Lord was more than just simply thinking that His name would be Yahweh or Jehovah, but it meant thinking about Him as a person, His attributes, everything about Him. And then, of course, I showed you how the Lord hearkened, He heard, a book of remembrance was brought before Him, and He said, They're going to be Mine, and I showed you how the Lord gave all these assurances to those who think upon His name. So we were dealing last week basically with thinking upon the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now if you look in your Bible, Psalm 40, and I'm not going to take the time to read all of this psalm, although I will tell you about the entire psalm. Today the message is the Lord thinking of me or the thoughts of the Lord. Notice what David said in verse 1, I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

[John Weaver] And he put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it in fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respected not the proud, or such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done. and thy thoughts which are to usward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee.

[John Weaver] If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Now let me just stop right there. There will be more of this psalm in just a moment. But since last week dealt with basically thinking about the Lord, and I showed you how we are to meditate upon Him and upon His Word, let me ask another question in light of today's message. Have you ever wondered whether or not the Lord thinks about you? I want you to just, for a moment, think of the billions of people that have lived, that are living, and shall live, and ask yourself this question in light of the billions and billions of people Does the Lord think about me personally? Who am I and what am I and how is it that God could single me out of billions and think about me personally? Is it not an absolutely awesome and yet at the same time marvelous and wonderful truth to even begin to conceive in your mind that the Lord thinks about you personally and individually.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 113. I'm going to be showing you a number of passages. Here is a general truth in light of this and to show you the condescension and grace of God. Notice Psalm 113, verses 5 and 6. You're holding Psalm 40, I hope. Psalm 113, verse 5. The scripture asks, who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in earth? Note that question. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, in other words, He's the sovereign, omnipotent God, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in earth? I want you to think for a moment of the humility and the condescension involved in the Lord thinking upon us. Can you conceive in your mind the thought that the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, immutable, everlasting God would humble himself and think about you. You know, this is a marvelous truth of Scripture that God does not just merely think of His people as a whole.

[John Weaver] That is, He does not think of us collectively. He probably does so in one sense of the word, but He also thinks of us individually as well. When we think of God, It is difficult for us to think of Him thinking of us. All of us are familiar with John 4, verse 24, where Scripture says, God is spirit. And they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Now, when you think of that verse, you have to come to the realization that God is incorporeal.

[John Weaver] By that, I mean this. God does not have a body the way you and I have a body. But just simply because God does not have a body does not mean that God is not a person. We tend to think that if an individual, or if one has no body, he can't be a real person. Or we tend to think you have to have a body to be a real person. Well, if you think that, let me ask you a question.

[John Weaver] What will you be after you die? Do you realize that your body is nothing more than a shell? It's a house. And when that house or that shell drops off, do you cease to exist? And the answer is no. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians talks about if our house, our bodily house is dissolved, we have a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. So the real person lives inside of your body. In other words, the body is not the person. So you can be a person without having a body, because the Bible says the spirit goes back to God who gave it. Our bodies then are merely our houses, our shells that house the real person. So one does not need a body to be a person.

[John Weaver] And when you look through the Bible, you will find that the essence of personality is self-consciousness and self-determination. And as you read through the Bible, you'll find that both of these are ascribed to God over and over in a multitude of scriptures. God has self-consciousness and He is self-determined. Moreover, as you read through the Bible, you'll find that the Bible attributes attributes of personality to God. For instance, God is presented as having intellect in Genesis 18, Exodus 3 and Acts 15. He's presented as having sensibility in Genesis 6, Psalm 103, John 13, and volition or willing in Genesis 3, Psalm 115, and John 6. Moreover, as you read the Bible, you find that God speaks, God hears, God loves, God hates, God is a jealous God, God is compassionate. All of these are attributes of personality. So God is a person.

[John Weaver] And the very idea of personhood is attributed to God when you understand that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day and fellowshiped with him. So God is a person. And that means this. God thinks. In fact, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 33 and verse 11. Just setting you up for this truth today. Look in Psalm 33 and verse 11. The Bible says this in reference to God. Psalm 33, verse 11.

[John Weaver] The counsel of the Lord standeth forever. The thoughts of his heart to all generations.

[John Weaver] Now, did you read that? The counsel of the Lord standeth forever. The what? The thoughts of his heart to all generation. So God thinks because he has thoughts in his heart. Do you remember what he said in Isaiah 55 verses 8 and 9? You don't have to turn there. I'm sure you're familiar with that passage. God says, for my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways, said the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts, and my ways higher than your ways. So God has thoughts. Let me give you one more passage.

[John Weaver] In Jeremiah chapter 23 and verse 20. Jeremiah 23 and verse 20. I'll quote it to you. You may turn there if you like. But here's what the scripture says. The anger of the Lord shall not return until he have executed till ye have performed the thoughts of his heart. In the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." Now, notice what he says. He says, the anger of the Lord shall not return until ye have executed, until ye have performed the thoughts of his heart.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to show you right now is that God thinks. Now, if you'll turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 40, Very quickly, let me give you a brief overview of this psalm. Psalm 40 is very easily divided. The first three verses contain a personal thanksgiving, followed by a general declaration of God's goodness to His saints in verses 4 and 5. Then in verses 6 through 10, there is a vow of dedication to the Lord's will. And then in verses 11 through 17, there is a prayer for deliverance from pressing trouble and for the overthrow of one's enemies. Now, let me just hasten to tell you something special about Psalm 40. Psalm 40, you not only have David in view, but you also have the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ in view. And when you get to the New Testament, you will find that verses 6 through 10 of this psalm are applied directly to Jesus Christ. They are quoted in the New Testament and applied directly to Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] So you have then what is known as prophetic telescoping in this passage. You have David in view, but you look beyond David and you see the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in verses 1 through 3, David has been suffering from some very sore sickness or devastation. He said in verse 1, I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me and heard me. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.

[John Weaver] and established my goings, and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praising our God. Many shall see it in fear and shall trust in the Lord." So David is saying, look, I have gone through something that is extremely sore and devastating and hurtful, but God delivered me. So in verse 4, David also praises the Lord and makes an announcement concerning such as all who trust in Him. He said, blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." But when you get to verse 5, David gives us our first glimpse into the thoughts of God. Look what he says,"'Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward.

[John Weaver] They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

[John Weaver] Now, the very first thing I want you to see if you're taking notes, make sure you write down the first point. The thoughts of God are plenteous. The thoughts of God are plenteous. Verse 5 seems to indicate, listen carefully, that although God created, provided, and redeemed for his own pleasure and will. Now think with me. In fact, I'll turn there and read it for you. I could quote it. But if you're taking notes, put down Revelation 4 verse 11, because in Revelation 4 and verse 11, the Bible tells us exactly why God created, why God redeemed, why God provided Revelation 4, verse 11, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. God created because He chose to create, because it pleased Him to do so. God redeemed because it pleased Him to do so. God provided because it pleased Him to do so. Okay? But although the Bible teaches that God created and provided and redeemed, He did so not only in His own pleasure, but with us in mind.

[John Weaver] I want you to stop and think about that. When David talks about the works of God, he's talking primarily about creation, about redemption, and providence. If you would turn in your Bibles, Acts chapter 14, and he's talking about the wonderful works of God, and the thoughts which are us that cannot be numbered, if you would just stop and consider God's providence, you would understand what David meant. Notice Acts chapter 14, Acts 14 and verse 17. The Bible, in referring to God's providence, says this, Nevertheless, he, that is God, left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Now you just stop and think how the providence of God for all of these years, for all of the people that have lived, are living and shall live, that God gave them sunshine and rain and food and joy and gladness. A multitude of providences. So you can see that God is not only provided, but He's protected, preserved, sustained, and blessed in innumerable ways.

[John Weaver] When you think about redemption, His work in redemption would include the everlasting covenant, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the redemption by Jesus Christ, Christ's resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, regeneration, conversion, the perseverance of the saints, and the preservation of the saints from evil and wickedness. It would include the translating us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His own dear Son, and it would include our ultimate glorification as well. All of these are works of God that display His marvelous grace and mercy, and they shall be the wonder of saints throughout eternity. Just thinking of providence, just thinking about redemption. And when God, listen carefully now, when God ordained redemption in eternity past, He did have His saints in mind. He thought of us.

[John Weaver] You say, how can you say that? Well, hold Psalm 40, but look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9 just to show you that we were in God's mind. God was thinking of us not collectively, but individually. For the Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9, in fact, let's read verse 8 just so that you can see the context and that God is in the context. Paul writes to Timothy, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor me as prisoner. but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." Now, we're talking about the power of God. Look what the power of God has done.

[John Weaver] "...who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus." When? When did He do it? Before the world began. So when God ordained redemption, and God ordained salvation and grace before the world began, He had us in mind individually who would be His elect, who would be His saints. Isn't that amazing?

[John Weaver] You know what the Bible says in Ephesians 1 in verse 4? Let me just quote it. According as He hath chosen us in Him, that is in Christ, before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. God chose us. Collectively? No. Individually. He chose us in Christ. When? Before the foundation of the world. What does that mean? It means that God was thinking about us individually.

[John Weaver] Let me show you one other. Turn right over, since you should be in 2 Timothy, turn right over to Titus chapter 1. And look, if you would please, at verses 1 and 2. Titus chapter 1, verse 1. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness. Now look. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began.

[John Weaver] May I ask a simple question? To whom did God promise eternal life before the world began? Well, it couldn't have been Christ the mediator because He's God. He's already the eternal God. He promised it to us who were in Jesus Christ. And He promises us before the world began.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Psalm 40. Look at verse 5 again. I'm just trying to show you the thoughts of God to us are plenteous. David said it like this. Many, O Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward, that is, to the saints, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." So David is saying God's thoughts which are to usward, that is, the decrees, the purposes, the counsels, the intentions, the thoughts of God, although they are mentioned last, they are actually before his works because they are the springboard of his works. David is saying this as his thoughts were not revealed until time and history, although his thoughts were in eternity. Likewise, we only discover that we were in his thoughts in time and in history, that we were in his thoughts before the foundation of the world. Let me show you one other verse. Look in Jeremiah chapter 31 in verse three.

[John Weaver] Just to show you. What I'm. Emphasizing. That we were in the mind of God before the foundation of the world, although it's revealed us in time and history, Jeremiah 31 in verse three, look what Jeremiah says. The Lord has appeared of old unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with a loving kindness have I drawn thee. Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Now, if God has loved his people with an everlasting love, that means he had to love us in eternity past because God is the eternal God. By the way, let me just throw this in. Since God's love has no beginning, it can have no ending. He's the eternal God. He said, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. I loved you in eternity past. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee. In other words, I called you to me in regeneration and conversion in time and history because I loved you in eternity past. So what God is saying is, I thought of you in times past.

[John Weaver] I think of you now. David further explains the plentiness of God's thoughts. And he states that they are so multitudinous that they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. What does that mean? Literally, what he is saying is this. There is none that can order them up unto God. Or there is no power in man that can do it. Or there is no one who can count these thoughts. Hence, David says, if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. I want to show you one other passage. I want you to think about this. God's thoughts to usward are more than can be numbered. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 139.

[John Weaver] And you might as well mark this passage because we're going to come back to it just shortly. So look in Psalm 139. And I specifically want to read verses 17 and 18. Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18.

[John Weaver] Psalm 139, verse 17. Look what David says. How precious also are thy faults unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee. Would anyone in this room like to undertake to count the grains of sand in the world? Come on, I'll limit it. You just go count the grains of sand in the Sahara Desert. David said, if I tried to number, if I tried to count the thoughts of God, they're more than the grains of sand. So God's thoughts are plenteous thoughts.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a quote. In fact, I'm going to quote him at least three times today. But I'm going to give you a quote from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. It's known as the Prince of Preachers on this verse. Here's what Spurgeon said. The divine thoughts march with the divine acts, for it is not according the wisdom of God to act without deliberation and counsel. All the divine thoughts are good and gracious toward his elect. God's thoughts of love are very many, very wonderful and very practical.

[John Weaver] Muse on them, dear reader. No sweeter subject ever occupied your mind. God's thoughts of you are many. Let not your thoughts of Him be few. So, first of all, God's thoughts of us are plenteous.

[John Weaver] Secondly, look in your Bibles to Psalm 92 and verse 5. Psalm 92 and verse 5.

[John Weaver] You're going to find the second truth, and here's the second point. The thoughts of God are profound. They're not only plenteous, but they are profound. Psalm 92 and verse 5. The psalmist exclaims, Oh Lord, how greater thy works and thy thoughts are very deep. Thy thoughts are very deep. Do you realize that many times we do not think upon the Lord? And sometimes when we do, our thoughts are few and flippant. But it's not so with God. His thoughts are profound. The Hebrew word here for deep is the word Amach, which literally means deep or profound. Let me show you how deep or profound God's thoughts are. Hold Psalm 92, but look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. We're talking about the profundity of the thoughts of God. Romans 11 verse 33, Or the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor.

[John Weaver] What's the answer? No one. No one. It's impossible to know the depth of the thoughts of God. Or to scale the mountain of God's wisdom and God's knowledge.

[John Weaver] Now, in light of that. One more time, let me quote Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Listen to what he said. And the reason I'm quoting him is I can't say it any plainer. Here's what he said. The Lord's plans are as marvelous as his acts. His designs are as profound as His doings are vast. Creation is immeasurable, and the wisdom displayed in it is unsearchable. Some men think, but cannot work, and others are mere drudges working without thought.

[John Weaver] In the eternal, the conception and the execution go together. Providence is inexhaustible. and the divine decrees which originate it are inscrutable. Redemption is grand beyond conception, and the thoughts of love which planned it are infinite. Man is superficial. God is inscrutable. Man is shallow. God is deep. Dive as we may, we shall never fathom the mysterious plan, or exhaust the boundless wisdom of all the comprehending mind of God. We stand by the fathomless sea of divine wisdom and explain with holy awe, O the depth." And once you begin to look into the mind of God, that's what you will have to say, O the depth.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you. If you want to see and know. And understand the profound thoughts of God. I can show you a place where you may begin. To scratch the surface. You say, where is that? Well, if you will turn in your Bibles to 1st Corinthians Chapter 2. 1st Corinthians Chapter 2. And let's read. Verses 5 through 10. 1 Corinthians 2, verses 5-10. Let's just read it first. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 5, Paul writes to the Corinthian believers, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect or mature, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor the princes of this world that come to naught. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

[John Weaver] But as it is written, I have not seen, nor heard, neither have entered in the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."

[John Weaver] Now let me stop there. Paul tells the Corinthian believers, I want your faith to stand, not in man, but in the power of God.

[John Weaver] Now he says in verse 6, watch carefully, he says in verse 6, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect or mature, yet not the wisdom of this world. When you talk about the wisdom of this world, you're talking about humanism. intellectualism, cultism, all kind of isms and sisms. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor the princes of this world.

[John Weaver] Oh, that would include the CFR, the trilateral, the Bilderbergers, the elite. No, no, he said we're not talking about that. Notice the next phrase, nor the princes of this world that come to naught. May I ask you, according to the Word of God, what is man's new world order going to come to? Nothing. Naught. Zero. Zilch. Watch. But we speak the wisdom of God in the mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. So he's still saying this is what God ordained before the world, but we were included in it. And then he says this, which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So all the politicians, all the elect, all the elite back then, all of the rulers of this world, they knew nothing of God's plan and of God's ordination. He said, had they known it, they would not have helped fulfill it.

[John Weaver] They were that rebellious, they were that wicked. But they did it without knowing. And then he says this, and only they didn't know, and by the way, I can assure you, if the civil rulers and the civil leaders in the elite back in Christ's day did not know the wisdom of God then, our leaders today still don't know it either, because they act contrary to it all the time.

[John Weaver] And then he goes on to say this in verse 9, but as it is written, I have not seen or ear heard, neither entered in the heart of man. In other words, natural man can never conceive of, think of, or hear of, or see this wisdom in and of himself. But then he says this, verse 10, But God hath revealed them, that is, these wise things, unto us by His Spirit, by the Holy Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. May I ask you, have you ever heard of the inspiration of the Bible. Who inspired this book? God, the Holy Spirit. Where do we begin to see the deep things of God in this book? And it is only as we spoke of earlier, and we prayed about, as God illumines our mind, as God enlightens us, that we begin to see the deep things of God. So the thoughts of God are plenteous and the thoughts of God are profound. And if you will turn in your Bibles back to Psalm 139, I want to show you a third point, and that is the thoughts of God are precious.

[John Weaver] We read this verse, but I did not emphasize this part of it. So look at it. Psalm 139, notice if you would, verses 17 and 18 again. David explains how precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God. How great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I awake, I'm still with thee. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God. And an amazing exclamation, how precious. are thy thoughts unto me."

[John Weaver] Now, the word precious in the Hebrew is the word yachar, which means to be esteemed, to be prized, to be valued, to be precious, to be costly. So David is saying the omniscience of God, God's all-knowing, and God's condescension to think upon us should never frighten us on the one hand. And on the other hand, It should be something that we value. And prize very much. Because God's thoughts are precious. You know, I cannot help but think. Of that passage in 1st Samuel chapter three in verse one, I'll quote it for you in just a moment.

[John Weaver] But you remember during that particular time, There was apostasy in Israel. God's worship, God's way, God's will, God's word was basically unheard of. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and they were corrupt. They were wicked. They were vile. In fact, God called them sons of Elial, sons of the devil. But the Lord said He would raise him up a faithful priest. And that's when Hannah brought little Samuel there. And the Bible says in 1 Samuel 3 and verse 1. Now listen carefully. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days.

[John Weaver] There was no open vision. There was no open preaching or public teaching. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. Have you ever stopped to think that God's thoughts are revealed in his word? As his thoughts are precious, his word should be precious. Let me go a step further. Do you remember that the scripture tells us that God's word is the written word. All scripture is given by inspiration of God as profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished under every good work, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. So we find that the Bible is the written word of God. It is God breathe. It is God exhale. But may I remind you, that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was made flesh, and the Word was God. And when you got down to John 1.14, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. So just like the thoughts of God are precious, that means the Word of God is precious, That means the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is the Living Word, is precious as well.

[John Weaver] Let me show you two passages, one in Old Testament, one in New Testament. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28, and then we're going to 1 Peter chapter 2. Okay? So find Isaiah 28, and then find 1 Peter chapter 2. Okay? Isaiah 28. Let me try to put this together for you. Isaiah 28, and look if you would please at verse 16. Isaiah 28, verse 16. We're going to find out what the Lord thinks of Christ. Isaiah 28, verse 16, what does God say? Therefore, thus saith the Lord God. Here's what the sovereign God of the universe says.

[John Weaver] Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation of stone. a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make haste." I wonder who God has in mind when He says that? Well, if you will look in 1 Peter 2, beginning there in verse 4, I think you will find out very quickly. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 3, because there you have Him identified. 1 Peter 2, verse 3, if so be that you have tasted that the Lord, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, is gracious to whom coming as unto a living stone, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. So Jesus Christ is precious.

[John Weaver] But then he goes further. You also as lively or living stones, or built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore, also it is contained in the Scripture, Isaiah 28, 16, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, who believe, he is precious." Isn't that amazing? Now listen to me as God's thoughts are precious. His word is precious. His sons are precious. His son is precious and we who are in him. Would therefore be counted precious. Scripture says in Psalm 116 precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. So God's thoughts are plenteous. God's thoughts are profound. God's thoughts are precious. Listen to what Spurgeon said one last time, quoting Spurgeon. He says this. Concerning David. On Psalm 139, verse 17, he says he is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him.

[John Weaver] Let me just stop there. I'll tell you what, there's some wicked that should be alarmed that God knows all about them. But he says concerning David, he is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him. On the contrary, he is comforted and even feels himself to be enriched as with a casket of precious jewels that God should think upon him is the believer's treasure and pleasure.

[John Weaver] He cries, how costly, how valuable are thy thoughts, how dear to me is thy perpetual attention. He thinks upon God's thoughts with delight. The more of them, the better is he pleased. It is a joy worth worlds that the Lord should think upon us who are so poor and needy. It is a joy which fills our whole nature to think upon God, returning love for love, thought for thought, after our poor fashion. Isn't that amazing? David was not alarmed that God thought about him. He thought that God's thoughts were precious, valuable, much to be desired. So when you and I think about God's thoughts, we have to think that His thoughts are revealed in Scripture.

[John Weaver] Jesus Christ is the living Word. And we must value God's thoughts and God's Word and God's Christ. For Scripture declares them to be precious.

[John Weaver] Fourthly, very quickly, the thoughts of God are peaceful. I want you to look in your Bible to Jeremiah 29, verse 11. Jeremiah 29 verse 11. The thoughts of God are peaceful. I'm going to show you from the scripture. How important this is. Look what God says to his people in Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. I love this passage. And I'll tell you why. Look what God says to His people, Jeremiah 29 verse 11. God says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

[John Weaver] And of course, then you have all these blessed promises. Then shall you call upon me and you shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and you shall seek me and find me when you search me all your heart and I'll be found in you, saith the Lord. But going back to verse 11, God says, I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil. Now, God's thoughts toward his people are thoughts of peace. I don't know if you've ever read through the book of Nehemiah.

[John Weaver] If you haven't, you should. But in Nehemiah chapter 5 and verse 9, Nehemiah prays and he prays this prayer, think upon me, my God, for good. Now, listen to what he said, think upon me, my God, for good. If you are unhappy with the thought. That God's thoughts. For his people are peaceful thoughts. Then I want you to consider the opposite for a moment. I want you to consider the thoughts of God toward His enemies. For instance, let me just quote Psalm 7 in verse 11. God judgeth the righteous, but God is angry with the wicked every day. How about Proverbs 15 in verse 26? The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.

[John Weaver] Or the words of the pure are pleasant words. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. If the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, how much more are the wicked an abomination to the Lord? If God is angry with the wicked every day, what does that mean? It means God despises Him. It means God hates him. You say, oh, come on, Brother Weaver. God doesn't hate. Oh, yes, he does.

[John Weaver] In fact, look in your Bible to Psalm 5. I'll just show you one verse. Some of you will remember, I hope, that years ago I preached a message on the biblical doctrine of hatred. But look, if you would, please, in Psalm 5. And notice if you would, verses 4 and 5. And just to show you from Scripture that God does hate, Psalm 4, the Bible says in verse 4, For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee.

[John Weaver] The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you, had you rather have God have peaceful thoughts towards you or unpeaceful thoughts? Now, the thing about Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. God says, I know the thoughts that I think towards you. Thoughts of peace. To give you an expected end. You know what an expected end is? An expected end is a desirable end, one which they will have hoped for, wished for, prayed for, wanted. It would be an end of their troubles. It would be an end of persecution. It would be an end of suffering. It would be an end that would bring them into all things that they could enjoy. Right?

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. I don't know about you, but I prefer this expected end that the Apostle Paul writes about in Romans chapter 8, verses 29 through 31. Look what he says. Remember what God said, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, the thoughts of peace to give you an expected end. So in Romans eight, verse twenty nine, we read this for whom he did for.

[John Weaver] No, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called. And whom He called, them He also justified. And whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things if God be for us? Who can be against us?"

[John Weaver] Now, what in the world are we talking about? Those whom He predestinated, what does the Bible say? Those He also did what? He called. Whom He called, He justified. Whom He justified, what's He going to do? He's going to glorify us. What is the expected end of the Saints of God? Glorification. Perfection. If God be for us, who can be against us? In other words, if the power of God has never failed, never shall fail. What can we expect? That God will perfect.

[John Weaver] That which is ordained toward us, he will. glorify us. He will give us an expected end, the end which we may expect based upon scripture. So the thoughts of God are plenteous. They're profound. They're precious. They're peaceful. And one last point. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 40. And I really showed you all that other just to show you this verse. Notice Psalm 40. Verse 17. Psalm 40, verse 17. The thoughts of God are plenteous, they're profound, they're precious, they're peaceful. And are you listening? The thoughts of God are personal. Here's what I mean. David said in Psalm 40 verse 17, I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me.

[John Weaver] Thou art my help and my deliverer. Make no tearing, O my God. Can you fathom that verse? David said, I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks upon me. How is it that the omniscient, all knowing God, who has a mind so vast and so great that you and I cannot even conceive of one particle of the mind of God, And yet God, in His omniscience, in His omnipotence, in His greatness, in His vastness, is able to think upon us personally, not just collectively, personally. Now, David may have been a king. But David was also a sinner. David was also in a multitude of troubles. And David also had sickness many times. And David may rightly confess, I am poor and needy. And by the way, the word needy here is translated other times in the Bible as beggar. David said, I'm a poor beggar. Yet the Lord thinks upon me. What are your problems? What are my problems? What are my desires? What are your desires? What are my needs? What are your needs?

[John Weaver] What do we want? The Lord thinks about those things. He thinks about us individually. David said, I have poor need to get the Lord thinking upon me. And look what he says after that. Thou art my help and my deliverer. Make no tearing. Oh, my God. He's saying this since Since you're thinking about my miserable state and it occupies your heart, thou, O God, who art meditating upon me, please help me soon. But you're thinking about me. You know I need help. Make no haste. Or make no tarrying my deliverer. In other words, make haste to help me. Do it now, God. Please, do it now. You're thinking about me. Do it now while you're thinking about me.

[John Weaver] How many of you have ever said, I have to do it now while I'm thinking about it because if I stop thinking about it, I'll forget it? Thank God God's not like that. And God can constantly and continually think about us and our needs individually. I don't know about you, it just overwhelms me to think that God would condescend to think about me. Who am I? What am I? That the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, immutable, everlasting God of the universe should spend a moment thinking about me, yet he has thought about us from eternity, and he shall think about us throughout all eternity. And yea, he never stops thinking about us.

[John Weaver] He thinks about us personally. That's amazing to me. Let me give you just a couple of applications. Has it really ever entered into your mind that the Lord is genuinely concerned about you personally? He knows the grandchildren you want. He knows your desire to be holy. He knows your desire to learn. He knows everything about you. Knows your desire to be healed. He knows your desire to live a long life, a healthy life. He knows everything about you. He knows the opportunities that you have. It is just overwhelming to stop and consider that the Lord thinks about every one of us individually, personally.

[John Weaver] Secondly, let me say this. In light of Psalm 40 and verse 17, here's another truth. The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us. Did David come up and say, Oh, God, I'm a mighty king. I'm a powerful warrior. Look what I've done for the... No, no, no, no, no. David said, I'm poor and needy. What I've done doesn't count, doesn't matter. Who I am doesn't matter. What was David doing? He was humbling himself before God. What did our Lord say in Luke 14, verse 11? He said, for whosoever exalted himself shall be abased, but whoever abases himself shall be exalted.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that as wicked, as ungodly as King Ahab was, when Elijah pronounced the death penalty against him, said, God's going to kill you, you wicked reprobate. In 1 Kings 21 and verse 29, he humbled himself and went softly before the Lord. And you know what God said? God said, I'm going to kill him, but not yet. I'm going to spare him a little while. Why? Because he humbled himself.

[John Weaver] Folks, let me tell you something. The less highly we think of ourselves, the more highly God will think of us. The less we trust in ourselves, the more we'll trust in God and trust Him for deliverance. David said, I'm poor and needy. Had the Lord thinking upon me, you know, many times. We forget the poor and needy. But God does it. And the comfort of every poor individual. Every needy individual. Especially the saints. Is it God thinks about him? Now, since God thinks of you. What do you think of him? As Spurgeon said. Since his thoughts toward us are plenty. Let not our thoughts of Him be few. May God help us to think upon Him and thank Him for thinking upon us. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us. Lord, your word is so full and so rich and such a blessing. May we count it as precious, for thy thoughts are precious and my son is precious. Give us, Lord, a thankful heart, a meditating heart.

[John Weaver] One, Lord, that will please thee and honor thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

The LORD Thinking of You - Part 2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	370717412
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation: Christ and the Churches
Genre	Sermon
Date	2007-01-07
Dictation Name
Book	Book 139: Revelation: Christ and the Churches — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	75

Formatted Transcript

Review of Part 1: Thinking Upon the Lord

Weaver reviews Malachi 3:16, where those who feared the Lord spoke often to one another and thought upon His name, emphasizing that thinking upon the Lord involves meditating on His person and attributes.

Psalm 40. And of course, we're going to take a few moments and review last week's message since this is going to be actually part two from last week. I tell you what, if you would just go ahead and turn in your Bibles, not just to Psalm 40, but to Malachi chapter three. Malachi chapter three was the text that we used last week. And I want to just simply read that text by way of review. Because last week I brought the message, Thinking of the Lord. And I asked, did you ever think of the Lord? And if you did so, how often did you think of the Lord? And of course, what were your thoughts concerning the Lord? And the Bible in Malachi chapter 3, looking in verse 16, the Bible says this, Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Scripture Reading — Malachi 3:16-17

" If you will remember, I gave you the context in Malachi chapter 3 and told you it was a context of judgment. And I asked what in the world were the saints of God to do in a time of persecution, in a time of oppression and tyranny and suffering? And the answer is in verse 16, and they that feared the Lord, they did two things. Number one, they spake often one to another. And I pointed out that was only exhortation and encouragement and counsel, seeking counsel and giving counsel. But then they also thought upon his name. And I pointed out the fact the thinking upon the name of the Lord was more than just simply thinking that His name would be Yahweh or Jehovah, but it meant thinking about Him as a person, His attributes, everything about Him. And then, of course, I showed you how the Lord hearkened, He heard, a book of remembrance was brought before Him, and He said, They're going to be Mine, and I showed you how the Lord gave all these assurances to those who think upon His name. So we were dealing last week basically with thinking upon the Lord.

Introduction to Psalm 40: The Lord Thinking of Us

Weaver introduces Psalm 40, noting David's testimony of deliverance and the psalm's structure, and raises the question of whether God thinks about individuals personally.

Now if you look in your Bible, Psalm 40, and I'm not going to take the time to read all of this psalm, although I will tell you about the entire psalm. Today the message is the Lord thinking of me or the thoughts of the Lord. Notice what David said in verse 1, I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee.

If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Now let me just stop right there. There will be more of this psalm in just a moment. But since last week dealt with basically thinking about the Lord, and I showed you how we are to meditate upon Him and upon His Word, let me ask another question in light of today's message. Have you ever wondered whether or not the Lord thinks about you? I want you to just, for a moment, think of the billions of people that have lived, that are living, and shall live, and ask yourself this question in light of the billions and billions of people: Does the Lord think about me personally? Who am I and what am I and how is it that God could single me out of billions and think about me personally? Is it not an absolutely awesome and yet at the same time marvelous and wonderful truth to even begin to conceive in your mind that the Lord thinks about you personally and individually.

God's Condescension and Personhood

Weaver argues from Psalm 113 and other passages that God humbles Himself to behold things in heaven and earth, and that God is a person with intellect, sensibility, and will, capable of thinking.

I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 113. I'm going to be showing you a number of passages. Here is a general truth in light of this and to show you the condescension and grace of God. Notice Psalm 113, verses 5 and 6. You're holding Psalm 40, I hope. Psalm 113, verse 5. The scripture asks, Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! Note that question. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, in other words, He's the sovereign, omnipotent God, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in earth? I want you to think for a moment of the humility and the condescension involved in the Lord thinking upon us. Can you conceive in your mind the thought that the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, immutable, everlasting God would humble himself and think about you. You know, this is a marvelous truth of Scripture that God does not just merely think of His people as a whole.

That is, He does not think of us collectively. He probably does so in one sense of the word, but He also thinks of us individually as well. When we think of God, it is difficult for us to think of Him thinking of us. All of us are familiar with John 4, verse 24, where Scripture says, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Now, when you think of that verse, you have to come to the realization that God is incorporeal. By that, I mean this. God does not have a body the way you and I have a body. But just simply because God does not have a body does not mean that God is not a person. We tend to think that if an individual, or if one has no body, he can't be a real person. Or we tend to think you have to have a body to be a real person. Well, if you think that, let me ask you a question.

What will you be after you die? Do you realize that your body is nothing more than a shell? It's a house. And when that house or that shell drops off, do you cease to exist? And the answer is no. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians talks about if our house, our bodily house is dissolved, we have a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. So the real person lives inside of your body. In other words, the body is not the person. So you can be a person without having a body, because the Bible says the spirit goes back to God who gave it. Our bodies then are merely our houses, our shells that house the real person. So one does not need a body to be a person.

And when you look through the Bible, you will find that the essence of personality is self-consciousness and self-determination. And as you read through the Bible, you'll find that both of these are ascribed to God over and over in a multitude of scriptures. God has self-consciousness and He is self-determined. Moreover, as you read through the Bible, you'll find that the Bible attributes attributes of personality to God. For instance, God is presented as having intellect in Genesis 18, Exodus 3 and Acts 15. He's presented as having sensibility in Genesis 6, Psalm 103, John 13, and volition or willing in Genesis 3, Psalm 115, and John 6. Moreover, as you read the Bible, you find that God speaks, God hears, God loves, God hates, God is a jealous God, God is compassionate. All of these are attributes of personality. So God is a person.

And the very idea of personhood is attributed to God when you understand that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day and fellowshiped with him. So God is a person. And that means this. God thinks. In fact, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 33 and verse 11. Just setting you up for this truth today. Look in Psalm 33 and verse 11. The Bible says this in reference to God. Psalm 33, verse 11.

The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Now, did you read that? The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever. The what? The thoughts of his heart to all generations. So God thinks because he has thoughts in his heart. Do you remember what he said in Isaiah 55 verses 8 and 9? You don't have to turn there. I'm sure you're familiar with that passage. God says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. So God has thoughts. Let me give you one more passage.

The Thoughts of God Are Plenteous

Weaver explains from Psalm 40:5 that God's thoughts toward His people are innumerable, encompassing creation, providence, and redemption, and were ordained before the foundation of the world.

Now, the very first thing I want you to see if you're taking notes, make sure you write down the first point. The thoughts of God are plenteous. The thoughts of God are plenteous. Verse 5 seems to indicate, listen carefully, that although God created, provided, and redeemed for his own pleasure and will. Now think with me. In fact, I'll turn there and read it for you. I could quote it. But if you're taking notes, put down Revelation 4 verse 11, because in Revelation 4 and verse 11, the Bible tells us exactly why God created, why God redeemed, why God provided. Revelation 4, verse 11, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. God created because He chose to create, because it pleased Him to do so. God redeemed because it pleased Him to do so. God provided because it pleased Him to do so. Okay? But although the Bible teaches that God created and provided and redeemed, He did so not only in His own pleasure, but with us in mind.

I want you to stop and think about that. When David talks about the works of God, he's talking primarily about creation, about redemption, and providence. If you would turn in your Bibles, Acts chapter 14, and he's talking about the wonderful works of God, and the thoughts which are us-ward that cannot be numbered, if you would just stop and consider God's providence, you would understand what David meant. Notice Acts chapter 14, Acts 14 and verse 17. The Bible, in referring to God's providence, says this, Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Now you just stop and think how the providence of God for all of these years, for all of the people that have lived, are living and shall live, that God gave them sunshine and rain and food and joy and gladness. A multitude of providences. So you can see that God is not only provided, but He's protected, preserved, sustained, and blessed in innumerable ways.

When you think about redemption, His work in redemption would include the everlasting covenant, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the redemption by Jesus Christ, Christ's resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, regeneration, conversion, the perseverance of the saints, and the preservation of the saints from evil and wickedness. It would include the translating us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His own dear Son, and it would include our ultimate glorification as well. All of these are works of God that display His marvelous grace and mercy, and they shall be the wonder of saints throughout eternity. Just thinking of providence, just thinking about redemption. And when God, listen carefully now, when God ordained redemption in eternity past, He did have His saints in mind. He thought of us.

You say, how can you say that? Well, hold Psalm 40, but look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9 just to show you that we were in God's mind. God was thinking of us not collectively, but individually. For the Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9, in fact, let's read verse 8 just so that you can see the context and that God is in the context. Paul writes to Timothy, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." Now, we're talking about the power of God. Look what the power of God has done.

"...who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus." When? When did He do it? Before the world began. So when God ordained redemption, and God ordained salvation and grace before the world began, He had us in mind individually who would be His elect, who would be His saints. Isn't that amazing? You know what the Bible says in Ephesians 1 in verse 4? Let me just quote it.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:4

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. God chose us. Collectively? No. Individually. He chose us in Christ. When? Before the foundation of the world.

What does that mean? It means that God was thinking about us individually.

Let me show you one other. Turn right over, since you should be in 2 Timothy, turn right over to Titus chapter 1. And look, if you would please, at verses 1 and 2. Titus chapter 1, verse 1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. May I ask a simple question? To whom did God promise eternal life before the world began? Well, it couldn't have been Christ the mediator because He's God. He's already the eternal God. He promised it to us who were in Jesus Christ. And He promises us before the world began.

Now, go back to Psalm 40. Look at verse 5 again. I'm just trying to show you the thoughts of God to us are plenteous. David said it like this. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." So David is saying God's thoughts which are to us-ward, that is, the decrees, the purposes, the counsels, the intentions, the thoughts of God, although they are mentioned last, they are actually before his works because they are the springboard of his works. David is saying this as his thoughts were not revealed until time and history, although his thoughts were in eternity. Likewise, we only discover that we were in his thoughts in time and in history, that we were in his thoughts before the foundation of the world. Let me show you one other verse. Look in Jeremiah chapter 31 in verse three.

Just to show you what I'm emphasizing. That we were in the mind of God before the foundation of the world, although it's revealed us in time and history, Jeremiah 31 in verse three, look what Jeremiah says. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Now, if God has loved his people with an everlasting love, that means he had to love us in eternity past because God is the eternal God. By the way, let me just throw this in. Since God's love has no beginning, it can have no ending. He's the eternal God. He said, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. I loved you in eternity past. Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. In other words, I called you to me in regeneration and conversion in time and history because I loved you in eternity past. So what God is saying is, I thought of you in times past.

I think of you now. David further explains the plentiness of God's thoughts. And he states that they are so multitudinous that they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. What does that mean? Literally, what he is saying is this. There is none that can order them up unto God. Or there is no power in man that can do it. Or there is no one who can count these thoughts. Hence, David says, if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. I want to show you one other passage. I want you to think about this. God's thoughts to us-ward are more than can be numbered. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 139.

And you might as well mark this passage because we're going to come back to it just shortly. So look in Psalm 139. And I specifically want to read verses 17 and 18. Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18.

Psalm 139, verse 17. Look what David says. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Would anyone in this room like to undertake to count the grains of sand in the world? Come on, I'll limit it. You just go count the grains of sand in the Sahara Desert. David said, if I tried to number, if I tried to count the thoughts of God, they're more than the grains of sand. So God's thoughts are plenteous thoughts.

Let me give you a quote. In fact, I'm going to quote him at least three times today. But I'm going to give you a quote from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. It's known as the Prince of Preachers on this verse. Here's what Spurgeon said. The divine thoughts march with the divine acts, for it is not according the wisdom of God to act without deliberation and counsel. All the divine thoughts are good and gracious toward his elect. God's thoughts of love are very many, very wonderful and very practical.

Muse on them, dear reader. No sweeter subject ever occupied your mind. God's thoughts of you are many. Let not your thoughts of Him be few. So, first of all, God's thoughts of us are plenteous.

The Thoughts of God Are Profound

Weaver shows from Psalm 92:5 and Romans 11:33 that God's thoughts are deep and unsearchable, revealed only through the Spirit in Scripture, and beyond human wisdom.

You're going to find the second truth, and here's the second point. The thoughts of God are profound. They're not only plenteous, but they are profound. Psalm 92 and verse 5. The psalmist exclaims, O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. Thy thoughts are very deep. Do you realize that many times we do not think upon the Lord? And sometimes when we do, our thoughts are few and flippant. But it's not so with God. His thoughts are profound. The Hebrew word here for deep is the word amach, which literally means deep or profound. Let me show you how deep or profound God's thoughts are. Hold Psalm 92, but look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. We're talking about the profundity of the thoughts of God. Romans 11 verse 33, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

What's the answer? No one. No one. It's impossible to know the depth of the thoughts of God. Or to scale the mountain of God's wisdom and God's knowledge.

Now, in light of that. One more time, let me quote Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Listen to what he said. And the reason I'm quoting him is I can't say it any plainer. Here's what he said. The Lord's plans are as marvelous as his acts. His designs are as profound as His doings are vast. Creation is immeasurable, and the wisdom displayed in it is unsearchable. Some men think, but cannot work, and others are mere drudges working without thought.

In the eternal, the conception and the execution go together. Providence is inexhaustible, and the divine decrees which originate it are inscrutable. Redemption is grand beyond conception, and the thoughts of love which planned it are infinite. Man is superficial. God is inscrutable. Man is shallow. God is deep. Dive as we may, we shall never fathom the mysterious plan, or exhaust the boundless wisdom of all the comprehending mind of God. We stand by the fathomless sea of divine wisdom and explain with holy awe, O the depth." And once you begin to look into the mind of God, that's what you will have to say, O the depth.

Now let me show you. If you want to see and know and understand the profound thoughts of God, I can show you a place where you may begin to scratch the surface. You say, where is that? Well, if you will turn in your Bibles to 1st Corinthians Chapter 2. 1st Corinthians Chapter 2. And let's read verses 5 through 10. 1 Corinthians 2, verses 5-10. Let's just read it first. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 5, Paul writes to the Corinthian believers, That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." Now let me stop there. Paul tells the Corinthian believers, I want your faith to stand, not in man, but in the power of God.

Now he says in verse 6, watch carefully, he says in verse 6, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world. When you talk about the wisdom of this world, you're talking about humanism, intellectualism, cultism, all kind of isms and schisms. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world. Oh, that would include the CFR, the trilateral, the Bilderbergers, the elite. No, no, he said we're not talking about that. Notice the next phrase, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought. May I ask you, according to the Word of God, what is man's new world order going to come to? Nothing. Naught. Zero. Zilch. Watch. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory. So he's still saying this is what God ordained before the world, but we were included in it. And then he says this, which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So all the politicians, all the elect, all the elite back then, all of the rulers of this world, they knew nothing of God's plan and of God's ordination. He said, had they known it, they would not have helped fulfill it.

They were that rebellious, they were that wicked. But they did it without knowing. And then he says this, and only they didn't know, and by the way, I can assure you, if the civil rulers and the civil leaders in the elite back in Christ's day did not know the wisdom of God then, our leaders today still don't know it either, because they act contrary to it all the time. And then he goes on to say this in verse 9, but as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man. In other words, natural man can never conceive of, think of, or hear of, or see this wisdom in and of himself. But then he says this, verse 10, But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. May I ask you, have you ever heard of the inspiration of the Bible? Who inspired this book? God, the Holy Spirit. Where do we begin to see the deep things of God? In this book. And it is only as we spoke of earlier, and we prayed about, as God illumines our mind, as God enlightens us, that we begin to see the deep things of God. So the thoughts of God are plenteous and the thoughts of God are profound. And if you will turn in your Bibles back to Psalm 139, I want to show you a third point, and that is the thoughts of God are precious.

The Thoughts of God Are Precious

Weaver highlights Psalm 139:17, where David calls God's thoughts precious, and connects this to the preciousness of God's Word and of Christ, the living Word.

We read this verse, but I did not emphasize this part of it. So look at it. Psalm 139, notice if you would, verses 17 and 18 again. David explains how precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! And an amazing exclamation, how precious are thy thoughts unto me."

Now, the word precious in the Hebrew is the word yaqar, which means to be esteemed, to be prized, to be valued, to be precious, to be costly. So David is saying the omniscience of God, God's all-knowing, and God's condescension to think upon us should never frighten us on the one hand. And on the other hand, it should be something that we value and prize very much. Because God's thoughts are precious. You know, I cannot help but think of that passage in 1st Samuel chapter three in verse one, I'll quote it for you in just a moment.

But you remember during that particular time, there was apostasy in Israel. God's worship, God's way, God's will, God's word was basically unheard of. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and they were corrupt. They were wicked. They were vile. In fact, God called them sons of Belial, sons of the devil. But the Lord said He would raise him up a faithful priest. And that's when Hannah brought little Samuel there. And the Bible says in 1 Samuel 3 and verse 1. Now listen carefully. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days.

There was no open vision. There was no open preaching or public teaching. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. Have you ever stopped to think that God's thoughts are revealed in his word? As his thoughts are precious, his word should be precious. Let me go a step further. Do you remember that the scripture tells us that God's word is the written word. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. So we find that the Bible is the written word of God. It is God-breathed. It is God-exhaled. But may I remind you, that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And when you got down to John 1.14, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. So just like the thoughts of God are precious, that means the Word of God is precious. That means the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is the Living Word, is precious as well.

Let me show you two passages, one in Old Testament, one in New Testament. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28, and then we're going to 1 Peter chapter 2. Okay? So find Isaiah 28, and then find 1 Peter chapter 2. Okay? Isaiah 28. Let me try to put this together for you. Isaiah 28, and look if you would please at verse 16. Isaiah 28, verse 16. We're going to find out what the Lord thinks of Christ. Isaiah 28, verse 16, what does God say? Therefore thus saith the Lord God. Here's what the sovereign God of the universe says.

Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." I wonder who God has in mind when He says that? Well, if you will look in 1 Peter 2, beginning there in verse 4, I think you will find out very quickly. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 3, because there you have Him identified. 1 Peter 2, verse 3, If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. So Jesus Christ is precious.

But then he goes further. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious." Isn't that amazing? Now listen to me as God's thoughts are precious. His word is precious. His Son is precious. And we who are in him would therefore be counted precious. Scripture says in Psalm 116, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. So God's thoughts are plenteous. God's thoughts are profound. God's thoughts are precious. Listen to what Spurgeon said one last time, quoting Spurgeon. He says this. Concerning David. On Psalm 139, verse 17, he says he is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him.

Let me just stop there. I'll tell you what, there's some wicked that should be alarmed that God knows all about them. But he says concerning David, he is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him. On the contrary, he is comforted and even feels himself to be enriched as with a casket of precious jewels that God should think upon him is the believer's treasure and pleasure. He cries, how costly, how valuable are thy thoughts, how dear to me is thy perpetual attention. He thinks upon God's thoughts with delight. The more of them, the better is he pleased. It is a joy worth worlds that the Lord should think upon us who are so poor and needy. It is a joy which fills our whole nature to think upon God, returning love for love, thought for thought, after our poor fashion. Isn't that amazing? David was not alarmed that God thought about him. He thought that God's thoughts were precious, valuable, much to be desired. So when you and I think about God's thoughts, we have to think that His thoughts are revealed in Scripture.

Jesus Christ is the living Word. And we must value God's thoughts and God's Word and God's Christ. For Scripture declares them to be precious.

The Thoughts of God Are Peaceful

Weaver expounds Jeremiah 29:11, showing that God's thoughts toward His people are thoughts of peace, leading to an expected end of glorification, in contrast to His thoughts toward the wicked.

Fourthly, very quickly, the thoughts of God are peaceful. I want you to look in your Bible to Jeremiah 29, verse 11. Jeremiah 29 verse 11. The thoughts of God are peaceful. I'm going to show you from the scripture how important this is. Look what God says to his people in Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. I love this passage. And I'll tell you why. Look what God says to His people, Jeremiah 29 verse 11. God says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

And of course, then you have all these blessed promises. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord. But going back to verse 11, God says, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil. Now, God's thoughts toward his people are thoughts of peace. I don't know if you've ever read through the book of Nehemiah.

If you haven't, you should. But in Nehemiah chapter 5 and verse 19, Nehemiah prays and he prays this prayer, Think upon me, my God, for good. Now, listen to what he said, Think upon me, my God, for good. If you are unhappy with the thought that God's thoughts for his people are peaceful thoughts, then I want you to consider the opposite for a moment. I want you to consider the thoughts of God toward His enemies. For instance, let me just quote Psalm 7 in verse 11. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. How about Proverbs 15 in verse 26? The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.

Or the words of the pure are pleasant words. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. If the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, how much more are the wicked an abomination to the Lord? If God is angry with the wicked every day, what does that mean? It means God despises him. It means God hates him. You say, oh, come on, Brother Weaver. God doesn't hate. Oh, yes, he does.

In fact, look in your Bible to Psalm 5. I'll just show you one verse. Some of you will remember, I hope, that years ago I preached a message on the biblical doctrine of hatred. But look, if you would, please, in Psalm 5. And notice if you would, verses 4 and 5. And just to show you from Scripture that God does hate, Psalm 5, the Bible says in verse 4, For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

Now, let me ask you, had you rather have God have peaceful thoughts towards you or unpeaceful thoughts? Now, the thing about Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. God says, I know the thoughts that I think towards you. Thoughts of peace. To give you an expected end. You know what an expected end is? An expected end is a desirable end, one which they will have hoped for, wished for, prayed for, wanted. It would be an end of their troubles. It would be an end of persecution. It would be an end of suffering. It would be an end that would bring them into all things that they could enjoy. Right?

Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. I don't know about you, but I prefer this expected end that the Apostle Paul writes about in Romans chapter 8, verses 29 through 31. Look what he says. Remember what God said, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, the thoughts of peace to give you an expected end. So in Romans eight, verse twenty nine, we read this, For whom he did foreknow. he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Now, what in the world are we talking about? Those whom He predestinated, what does the Bible say? Those He also did what? He called. Whom He called, He justified. Whom He justified, what's He going to do? He's going to glorify us. What is the expected end of the Saints of God? Glorification. Perfection. If God be for us, who can be against us? In other words, if the power of God has never failed, never shall fail. What can we expect? That God will perfect.

That which is ordained toward us, he will glorify us. He will give us an expected end, the end which we may expect based upon scripture. So the thoughts of God are plenteous. They're profound. They're precious. They're peaceful. And one last point. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 40. And I really showed you all that other just to show you this verse. Notice Psalm 40. Verse 17. Psalm 40, verse 17. The thoughts of God are plenteous, they're profound, they're precious, they're peaceful. And are you listening? The thoughts of God are personal. Here's what I mean. David said in Psalm 40 verse 17, But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.

The Thoughts of God Are Personal

Weaver concludes with Psalm 40:17, where David confesses he is poor and needy yet the Lord thinks upon him, emphasizing God's personal, individual concern for each believer.

Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. Can you fathom that verse? David said, I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. How is it that the omniscient, all knowing God, who has a mind so vast and so great that you and I cannot even conceive of one particle of the mind of God, and yet God, in His omniscience, in His omnipotence, in His greatness, in His vastness, is able to think upon us personally, not just collectively, personally. Now, David may have been a king. But David was also a sinner. David was also in a multitude of troubles. And David also had sickness many times. And David may rightly confess, I am poor and needy. And by the way, the word needy here is translated other times in the Bible as beggar. David said, I'm a poor beggar. Yet the Lord thinketh upon me. What are your problems? What are my problems? What are my desires? What are your desires? What are my needs? What are your needs?

What do we want? The Lord thinks about those things. He thinks about us individually. David said, I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. And look what he says after that. Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. He's saying this since you're thinking about my miserable state and it occupies your heart, thou, O God, who art meditating upon me, please help me soon. But you're thinking about me. You know I need help. Make no tarrying, my deliverer. In other words, make haste to help me. Do it now, God. Please, do it now. You're thinking about me. Do it now while you're thinking about me.

How many of you have ever said, I have to do it now while I'm thinking about it because if I stop thinking about it, I'll forget it? Thank God God's not like that. And God can constantly and continually think about us and our needs individually. I don't know about you, it just overwhelms me to think that God would condescend to think about me. Who am I? What am I? That the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, immutable, everlasting God of the universe should spend a moment thinking about me, yet he has thought about us from eternity, and he shall think about us throughout all eternity. And yea, he never stops thinking about us.

Applications: Humility and Meditation

Weaver applies the message by urging believers to humble themselves, recognizing that the less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us, and to respond with frequent thoughts of God.

He thinks about us personally. That's amazing to me. Let me give you just a couple of applications. Has it really ever entered into your mind that the Lord is genuinely concerned about you personally? He knows the grandchildren you want. He knows your desire to be holy. He knows your desire to learn. He knows everything about you. Knows your desire to be healed. He knows your desire to live a long life, a healthy life. He knows everything about you. He knows the opportunities that you have. It is just overwhelming to stop and consider that the Lord thinks about every one of us individually, personally.

Secondly, let me say this. In light of Psalm 40 and verse 17, here's another truth. The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us. Did David come up and say, Oh, God, I'm a mighty king. I'm a powerful warrior. Look what I've done for the... No, no, no, no, no. David said, I'm poor and needy. What I've done doesn't count, doesn't matter. Who I am doesn't matter. What was David doing? He was humbling himself before God. What did our Lord say in Luke 14, verse 11? He said, for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Do you realize that as wicked, as ungodly as King Ahab was, when Elijah pronounced the death penalty against him, said, God's going to kill you, you wicked reprobate. In 1 Kings 21 and verse 29, he humbled himself and went softly before the Lord. And you know what God said? God said, I'm going to kill him, but not yet. I'm going to spare him a little while. Why? Because he humbled himself.

Folks, let me tell you something. The less highly we think of ourselves, the more highly God will think of us. The less we trust in ourselves, the more we'll trust in God and trust Him for deliverance. David said, I'm poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. You know, many times we forget the poor and needy. But God does not. And the comfort of every poor individual, every needy individual, especially the saints, is that God thinks about him. Now, since God thinks of you, what do you think of him? As Spurgeon said, Since his thoughts toward us are plenty, let not our thoughts of Him be few. May God help us to think upon Him and thank Him for thinking upon us. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us. Lord, your word is so full and so rich and such a blessing. May we count it as precious, for thy thoughts are precious and thy Son is precious. Give us, Lord, a thankful heart, a meditating heart.

One, Lord, that will please thee and honor thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

God's Personal Concern for Individuals

Summary: God thinks about each believer personally and individually, not just collectively, and is concerned with their needs, desires, and circumstances.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'Does the Lord think about me personally?' and later cites Psalm 40:17: 'But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

The Plenteousness of God's Thoughts

Summary: God's thoughts toward His people are innumerable, encompassing His works of creation, providence, and redemption, and were ordained from eternity.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The thoughts of God are plenteous... they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee... they are more than can be numbered.'

The Profundity of God's Thoughts

Summary: God's thoughts are deep and unsearchable, beyond human comprehension, and are revealed only through the Holy Spirit in Scripture.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Psalm 92:5: 'Thy thoughts are very deep,' and Romans 11:33: 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!'

The Preciousness of God's Thoughts, Word, and Son

Summary: God's thoughts are precious, and this preciousness extends to His written Word and to Jesus Christ, the living Word, who is chosen and precious.

Evidence: Weaver cites Psalm 139:17: 'How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!' and 1 Peter 2:4-7 on Christ being precious.

The Peaceful Nature of God's Thoughts Toward His People

Summary: God's thoughts toward His people are thoughts of peace, leading to a hopeful and glorious expected end, in contrast to His anger toward the wicked.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Jeremiah 29:11: 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.'

Humility as the Posture for Receiving God's Thoughts

Summary: The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us; humility before God invites His gracious attention and deliverance.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us... David said, I'm poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

Key Arguments

God is a personal being who thinks

Summary: God, though incorporeal, possesses self-consciousness and self-determination, and Scripture attributes intellect, sensibility, and will to Him, proving He thinks.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'God has self-consciousness and He is self-determined... God is presented as having intellect... sensibility... and volition.'

God's thoughts toward believers are innumerable and eternal

Summary: God's thoughts include His decrees, purposes, and counsels from eternity, and they are so numerous they cannot be counted, like the sand.

Evidence: Weaver cites Psalm 40:5 and Psalm 139:17-18: 'If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.'

God's thoughts are revealed in Scripture and in Christ

Summary: The deep things of God are revealed by the Spirit through the inspired Word, and Jesus Christ is the living Word, both being precious.

Evidence: Weaver references 1 Corinthians 2:10: 'God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit,' and 1 Peter 2:4-7 on Christ's preciousness.

God's thoughts toward His people are peaceful, not evil

Summary: In contrast to His anger toward the wicked, God's thoughts toward His saints are thoughts of peace, leading to a glorious expected end.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Jeremiah 29:11 and contrasts it with Psalm 7:11 and Proverbs 15:26 regarding God's view of the wicked.

God thinks about each believer individually in their need

Summary: David's confession 'I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me' shows God's personal, individual attention to every saint's condition.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes Psalm 40:17: 'David said, I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

Humility attracts God's favorable thoughts

Summary: When believers humble themselves and acknowledge their poverty and need, God thinks upon them and acts as their help and deliverer.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us... David said, I'm poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

Scripture References

Psalm 40:1-5

Context: David's testimony of deliverance and declaration of God's wonderful works and thoughts which cannot be numbered.

Malachi 3:16-17

Context: Review of last week's message: those who feared the Lord spoke often and thought upon His name, and God promised they would be His jewels.

Psalm 113:5-6

Context: God humbles Himself to behold things in heaven and earth, showing His condescension.

Psalm 33:11

Context: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations, proving God thinks.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Context: God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, as the heavens are higher than the earth.

Jeremiah 23:20

Context: The anger of the Lord will not return until He has performed the thoughts of His heart.

Revelation 4:11

Context: God created all things for His pleasure, showing His works are according to His will.

Acts 14:17

Context: God's providence in giving rain, fruitful seasons, food, and gladness.

2 Timothy 1:8-9

Context: God saved and called us according to His purpose and grace given in Christ before the world began.

Ephesians 1:4

Context: God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

Titus 1:1-2

Context: God promised eternal life before the world began.

Jeremiah 31:3

Context: God loved His people with an everlasting love, showing His thoughts from eternity.

Psalm 139:17-18

Context: God's thoughts are precious and more numerous than the sand.

Psalm 92:5

Context: God's works are great and His thoughts are very deep.

Romans 11:33-34

Context: The depth of God's wisdom and knowledge is unsearchable; no one has known His mind.

1 Corinthians 2:5-10

Context: God's hidden wisdom ordained before the world is revealed by the Spirit, who searches the deep things of God.

Isaiah 28:16

Context: God lays in Zion a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.

1 Peter 2:3-7

Context: Christ is the living stone, chosen and precious; believers are built up as a spiritual house.

Jeremiah 29:11

Context: God knows the thoughts He thinks toward His people, thoughts of peace to give an expected end.

Psalm 40:17

Context: David confesses he is poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks upon him; he asks God to make no tarrying.

Historical References

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Context: Weaver quotes Spurgeon three times: on God's thoughts being good and gracious, on the profundity of God's thoughts, and on David's delight in God's thoughts.

King Ahab's humbling (1 Kings 21:29)

Context: Weaver references Ahab's humbling before God, which led to a delay in judgment, as an example of humility attracting God's mercy.

Important Quotes

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Significance: This is the key verse from Psalm 40:5 that introduces the theme of God's plenteous thoughts toward His people.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Significance: David's exclamation in Psalm 139:17-18 emphasizes the preciousness and innumerability of God's thoughts.

O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

Significance: Psalm 92:5 highlights the profundity of God's thoughts, a major point in the sermon.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Significance: Jeremiah 29:11 shows the peaceful nature of God's thoughts toward His people, leading to a hopeful future.

The divine thoughts march with the divine acts, for it is not according the wisdom of God to act without deliberation and counsel. All the divine thoughts are good and gracious toward his elect. God's thoughts of love are very many, very wonderful and very practical.

Significance: Spurgeon's quote reinforces the plenteous and gracious nature of God's thoughts.

The Lord's plans are as marvelous as his acts. His designs are as profound as His doings are vast. Creation is immeasurable, and the wisdom displayed in it is unsearchable.

Significance: Spurgeon's quote on the profundity of God's thoughts, used to illustrate the depth of divine wisdom.

He is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him. On the contrary, he is comforted and even feels himself to be enriched as with a casket of precious jewels that God should think upon him is the believer's treasure and pleasure.

Significance: Spurgeon's comment on Psalm 139:17, highlighting the preciousness of God's thoughts to the believer.

Discussion Questions

How does the truth that God thinks about you personally change the way you view your daily struggles and needs?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that God thinks about each believer individually, knowing their desires and needs.

In what ways can we cultivate a greater awareness of the plenteousness of God's thoughts toward us?

Context: Weaver explains that God's thoughts are innumerable, encompassing creation, providence, and redemption.

Why is it important to recognize that God's thoughts are profound and beyond our full understanding?

Context: Weaver discusses the depth of God's thoughts and the need for the Spirit's revelation through Scripture.

How does the preciousness of God's thoughts relate to the preciousness of Christ and Scripture in your life?

Context: Weaver connects the preciousness of God's thoughts to the preciousness of the Word and of Christ.

What does it mean that God's thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace, and how does that affect your response to trials?

Context: Weaver expounds Jeremiah 29:11, contrasting God's peaceful thoughts with His anger toward the wicked.

How can David's confession 'I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me' become a model for our own prayer life?

Context: Weaver highlights Psalm 40:17 as the personal application of God's thoughts toward the humble.

What practical steps can we take to think more frequently and deeply about God in response to His thoughts toward us?

Context: Weaver concludes with the application that since God thinks of us, we should not let our thoughts of Him be few.

Applications

Humble yourself before God

Summary: Acknowledge your spiritual poverty and neediness, like David, so that God may think upon you and be your help and deliverer.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us... David said, I'm poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

Meditate on God's thoughts as revealed in Scripture

Summary: Since God's thoughts are precious and profound, believers should diligently study the Bible to know His mind and value His Word.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Where do we begin to see the deep things of God? In this book... God's thoughts are revealed in his word.'

Trust in God's peaceful plans for your future

Summary: Rest in the truth that God's thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace, leading to a glorious expected end of glorification.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:29-31 to show God's peaceful intentions and the certainty of glorification.

Respond to God's thoughts with frequent thoughts of Him

Summary: Since God's thoughts toward us are plenteous, we should not let our thoughts of Him be few, but cultivate a habit of meditation and gratitude.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Spurgeon: 'God's thoughts of you are many. Let not your thoughts of Him be few.'

Find comfort in God's personal attention to your needs

Summary: In times of trouble, remember that God thinks about you individually and knows your desires, so you can pray for His timely help.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'He knows the grandchildren you want. He knows your desire to be holy... He knows everything about you.'

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Clean Transcript

The LORD Thinking of You - Part 2

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Psalm 40. And of course, we're going to take a few moments and review last week's message since this is going to be actually part two from last week. I tell you what, if you would just go ahead and turn in your Bibles, not just to Psalm 40, but to Malachi chapter three. Malachi chapter three was the text that we used last week. And I want to just simply read that text by way of review. Because last week I brought the message, Thinking of the Lord. And I asked, did you ever think of the Lord? And if you did so, how often did you think of the Lord? And of course, what were your thoughts concerning the Lord? And the Bible in Malachi chapter 3, looking in verse 16, the Bible says this, Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
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And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." If you will remember, I gave you the context in Malachi chapter 3 and told you it was a context of judgment. And I asked what in the world were the saints of God to do in a time of persecution, in a time of oppression and tyranny and suffering? And the answer is in verse 16, and they that feared the Lord, they did two things.
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Number one, they spake often one to another. And I pointed out that was only exhortation and encouragement and counsel, seeking counsel and giving counsel. But then they also thought upon his name. And I pointed out the fact the thinking upon the name of the Lord was more than just simply thinking that His name would be Yahweh or Jehovah, but it meant thinking about Him as a person, His attributes, everything about Him. And then, of course, I showed you how the Lord hearkened, He heard, a book of remembrance was brought before Him, and He said, They're going to be Mine, and I showed you how the Lord gave all these assurances to those who think upon His name. So we were dealing last week basically with thinking upon the Lord.
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Now if you look in your Bible, Psalm 40, and I'm not going to take the time to read all of this psalm, although I will tell you about the entire psalm. Today the message is the Lord thinking of me or the thoughts of the Lord. Notice what David said in verse 1, I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
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And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee.
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If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Now let me just stop right there. There will be more of this psalm in just a moment. But since last week dealt with basically thinking about the Lord, and I showed you how we are to meditate upon Him and upon His Word, let me ask another question in light of today's message. Have you ever wondered whether or not the Lord thinks about you? I want you to just, for a moment, think of the billions of people that have lived, that are living, and shall live, and ask yourself this question in light of the billions and billions of people: Does the Lord think about me personally? Who am I and what am I and how is it that God could single me out of billions and think about me personally? Is it not an absolutely awesome and yet at the same time marvelous and wonderful truth to even begin to conceive in your mind that the Lord thinks about you personally and individually.
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I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 113. I'm going to be showing you a number of passages. Here is a general truth in light of this and to show you the condescension and grace of God. Notice Psalm 113, verses 5 and 6. You're holding Psalm 40, I hope. Psalm 113, verse 5. The scripture asks, Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! Note that question. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, in other words, He's the sovereign, omnipotent God, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in earth? I want you to think for a moment of the humility and the condescension involved in the Lord thinking upon us. Can you conceive in your mind the thought that the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, immutable, everlasting God would humble himself and think about you. You know, this is a marvelous truth of Scripture that God does not just merely think of His people as a whole.
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That is, He does not think of us collectively. He probably does so in one sense of the word, but He also thinks of us individually as well. When we think of God, it is difficult for us to think of Him thinking of us. All of us are familiar with John 4, verse 24, where Scripture says, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Now, when you think of that verse, you have to come to the realization that God is incorporeal.
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By that, I mean this. God does not have a body the way you and I have a body. But just simply because God does not have a body does not mean that God is not a person. We tend to think that if an individual, or if one has no body, he can't be a real person. Or we tend to think you have to have a body to be a real person. Well, if you think that, let me ask you a question.
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What will you be after you die? Do you realize that your body is nothing more than a shell? It's a house. And when that house or that shell drops off, do you cease to exist? And the answer is no. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians talks about if our house, our bodily house is dissolved, we have a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. So the real person lives inside of your body. In other words, the body is not the person. So you can be a person without having a body, because the Bible says the spirit goes back to God who gave it. Our bodies then are merely our houses, our shells that house the real person. So one does not need a body to be a person.
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And when you look through the Bible, you will find that the essence of personality is self-consciousness and self-determination. And as you read through the Bible, you'll find that both of these are ascribed to God over and over in a multitude of scriptures. God has self-consciousness and He is self-determined. Moreover, as you read through the Bible, you'll find that the Bible attributes attributes of personality to God. For instance, God is presented as having intellect in Genesis 18, Exodus 3 and Acts 15. He's presented as having sensibility in Genesis 6, Psalm 103, John 13, and volition or willing in Genesis 3, Psalm 115, and John 6. Moreover, as you read the Bible, you find that God speaks, God hears, God loves, God hates, God is a jealous God, God is compassionate. All of these are attributes of personality. So God is a person.
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And the very idea of personhood is attributed to God when you understand that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day and fellowshiped with him. So God is a person. And that means this. God thinks. In fact, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 33 and verse 11. Just setting you up for this truth today. Look in Psalm 33 and verse 11. The Bible says this in reference to God. Psalm 33, verse 11.
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The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
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Now, did you read that? The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever. The what? The thoughts of his heart to all generations. So God thinks because he has thoughts in his heart. Do you remember what he said in Isaiah 55 verses 8 and 9? You don't have to turn there. I'm sure you're familiar with that passage. God says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. So God has thoughts. Let me give you one more passage.
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In Jeremiah chapter 23 and verse 20. Jeremiah 23 and verse 20. I'll quote it to you. You may turn there if you like. But here's what the scripture says. The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." Now, notice what he says. He says, the anger of the Lord shall not return until he have executed, until he have performed the thoughts of his heart.
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All I'm trying to show you right now is that God thinks. Now, if you'll turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 40, very quickly, let me give you a brief overview of this psalm. Psalm 40 is very easily divided. The first three verses contain a personal thanksgiving, followed by a general declaration of God's goodness to His saints in verses 4 and 5. Then in verses 6 through 10, there is a vow of dedication to the Lord's will. And then in verses 11 through 17, there is a prayer for deliverance from pressing trouble and for the overthrow of one's enemies. Now, let me just hasten to tell you something special about Psalm 40. Psalm 40, you not only have David in view, but you also have the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ in view. And when you get to the New Testament, you will find that verses 6 through 10 of this psalm are applied directly to Jesus Christ. They are quoted in the New Testament and applied directly to Jesus Christ.
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So you have then what is known as prophetic telescoping in this passage. You have David in view, but you look beyond David and you see the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in verses 1 through 3, David has been suffering from some very sore sickness or devastation. He said in verse 1, I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.
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and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." So David is saying, look, I have gone through something that is extremely sore and devastating and hurtful, but God delivered me. So in verse 4, David also praises the Lord and makes an announcement concerning such as all who trust in Him. He said, Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." But when you get to verse 5, David gives us our first glimpse into the thoughts of God. Look what he says, "Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward.
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They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
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Now, the very first thing I want you to see if you're taking notes, make sure you write down the first point. The thoughts of God are plenteous. The thoughts of God are plenteous. Verse 5 seems to indicate, listen carefully, that although God created, provided, and redeemed for his own pleasure and will. Now think with me. In fact, I'll turn there and read it for you. I could quote it. But if you're taking notes, put down Revelation 4 verse 11, because in Revelation 4 and verse 11, the Bible tells us exactly why God created, why God redeemed, why God provided. Revelation 4, verse 11, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. God created because He chose to create, because it pleased Him to do so. God redeemed because it pleased Him to do so. God provided because it pleased Him to do so. Okay? But although the Bible teaches that God created and provided and redeemed, He did so not only in His own pleasure, but with us in mind.
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I want you to stop and think about that. When David talks about the works of God, he's talking primarily about creation, about redemption, and providence. If you would turn in your Bibles, Acts chapter 14, and he's talking about the wonderful works of God, and the thoughts which are us-ward that cannot be numbered, if you would just stop and consider God's providence, you would understand what David meant. Notice Acts chapter 14, Acts 14 and verse 17. The Bible, in referring to God's providence, says this, Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Now you just stop and think how the providence of God for all of these years, for all of the people that have lived, are living and shall live, that God gave them sunshine and rain and food and joy and gladness. A multitude of providences. So you can see that God is not only provided, but He's protected, preserved, sustained, and blessed in innumerable ways.
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When you think about redemption, His work in redemption would include the everlasting covenant, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the redemption by Jesus Christ, Christ's resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, regeneration, conversion, the perseverance of the saints, and the preservation of the saints from evil and wickedness. It would include the translating us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His own dear Son, and it would include our ultimate glorification as well. All of these are works of God that display His marvelous grace and mercy, and they shall be the wonder of saints throughout eternity. Just thinking of providence, just thinking about redemption. And when God, listen carefully now, when God ordained redemption in eternity past, He did have His saints in mind. He thought of us.
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You say, how can you say that? Well, hold Psalm 40, but look in your Bibles to 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9. 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9 just to show you that we were in God's mind. God was thinking of us not collectively, but individually. For the Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 9, in fact, let's read verse 8 just so that you can see the context and that God is in the context. Paul writes to Timothy, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." Now, we're talking about the power of God. Look what the power of God has done.
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"...who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus." When? When did He do it? Before the world began. So when God ordained redemption, and God ordained salvation and grace before the world began, He had us in mind individually who would be His elect, who would be His saints. Isn't that amazing?
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You know what the Bible says in Ephesians 1 in verse 4? Let me just quote it. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. God chose us. Collectively? No. Individually. He chose us in Christ. When? Before the foundation of the world. What does that mean? It means that God was thinking about us individually.
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Let me show you one other. Turn right over, since you should be in 2 Timothy, turn right over to Titus chapter 1. And look, if you would please, at verses 1 and 2. Titus chapter 1, verse 1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.
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May I ask a simple question? To whom did God promise eternal life before the world began? Well, it couldn't have been Christ the mediator because He's God. He's already the eternal God. He promised it to us who were in Jesus Christ. And He promises us before the world began.
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Now, go back to Psalm 40. Look at verse 5 again. I'm just trying to show you the thoughts of God to us are plenteous. David said it like this. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." So David is saying God's thoughts which are to us-ward, that is, the decrees, the purposes, the counsels, the intentions, the thoughts of God, although they are mentioned last, they are actually before his works because they are the springboard of his works. David is saying this as his thoughts were not revealed until time and history, although his thoughts were in eternity. Likewise, we only discover that we were in his thoughts in time and in history, that we were in his thoughts before the foundation of the world. Let me show you one other verse. Look in Jeremiah chapter 31 in verse three.
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Just to show you what I'm emphasizing. That we were in the mind of God before the foundation of the world, although it's revealed us in time and history, Jeremiah 31 in verse three, look what Jeremiah says. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Now, if God has loved his people with an everlasting love, that means he had to love us in eternity past because God is the eternal God. By the way, let me just throw this in. Since God's love has no beginning, it can have no ending. He's the eternal God. He said, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. I loved you in eternity past. Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. In other words, I called you to me in regeneration and conversion in time and history because I loved you in eternity past. So what God is saying is, I thought of you in times past.
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I think of you now. David further explains the plentiness of God's thoughts. And he states that they are so multitudinous that they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. What does that mean? Literally, what he is saying is this. There is none that can order them up unto God. Or there is no power in man that can do it. Or there is no one who can count these thoughts. Hence, David says, if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. I want to show you one other passage. I want you to think about this. God's thoughts to us-ward are more than can be numbered. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 139.
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And you might as well mark this passage because we're going to come back to it just shortly. So look in Psalm 139. And I specifically want to read verses 17 and 18. Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18.
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Psalm 139, verse 17. Look what David says. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Would anyone in this room like to undertake to count the grains of sand in the world? Come on, I'll limit it. You just go count the grains of sand in the Sahara Desert. David said, if I tried to number, if I tried to count the thoughts of God, they're more than the grains of sand. So God's thoughts are plenteous thoughts.
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Let me give you a quote. In fact, I'm going to quote him at least three times today. But I'm going to give you a quote from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. It's known as the Prince of Preachers on this verse. Here's what Spurgeon said. The divine thoughts march with the divine acts, for it is not according the wisdom of God to act without deliberation and counsel. All the divine thoughts are good and gracious toward his elect. God's thoughts of love are very many, very wonderful and very practical.
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Muse on them, dear reader. No sweeter subject ever occupied your mind. God's thoughts of you are many. Let not your thoughts of Him be few. So, first of all, God's thoughts of us are plenteous.
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Secondly, look in your Bibles to Psalm 92 and verse 5. Psalm 92 and verse 5.
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You're going to find the second truth, and here's the second point. The thoughts of God are profound. They're not only plenteous, but they are profound. Psalm 92 and verse 5. The psalmist exclaims, O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. Thy thoughts are very deep. Do you realize that many times we do not think upon the Lord? And sometimes when we do, our thoughts are few and flippant. But it's not so with God. His thoughts are profound. The Hebrew word here for deep is the word amach, which literally means deep or profound. Let me show you how deep or profound God's thoughts are. Hold Psalm 92, but look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. We're talking about the profundity of the thoughts of God. Romans 11 verse 33, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
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What's the answer? No one. No one. It's impossible to know the depth of the thoughts of God. Or to scale the mountain of God's wisdom and God's knowledge.
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Now, in light of that. One more time, let me quote Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Listen to what he said. And the reason I'm quoting him is I can't say it any plainer. Here's what he said. The Lord's plans are as marvelous as his acts. His designs are as profound as His doings are vast. Creation is immeasurable, and the wisdom displayed in it is unsearchable. Some men think, but cannot work, and others are mere drudges working without thought.
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In the eternal, the conception and the execution go together. Providence is inexhaustible, and the divine decrees which originate it are inscrutable. Redemption is grand beyond conception, and the thoughts of love which planned it are infinite. Man is superficial. God is inscrutable. Man is shallow. God is deep. Dive as we may, we shall never fathom the mysterious plan, or exhaust the boundless wisdom of all the comprehending mind of God. We stand by the fathomless sea of divine wisdom and explain with holy awe, O the depth." And once you begin to look into the mind of God, that's what you will have to say, O the depth.
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Now let me show you. If you want to see and know and understand the profound thoughts of God, I can show you a place where you may begin to scratch the surface. You say, where is that? Well, if you will turn in your Bibles to 1st Corinthians Chapter 2. 1st Corinthians Chapter 2. And let's read verses 5 through 10. 1 Corinthians 2, verses 5-10. Let's just read it first. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 5, Paul writes to the Corinthian believers, That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."
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Now let me stop there. Paul tells the Corinthian believers, I want your faith to stand, not in man, but in the power of God.
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Now he says in verse 6, watch carefully, he says in verse 6, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world. When you talk about the wisdom of this world, you're talking about humanism, intellectualism, cultism, all kind of isms and schisms. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world.
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Oh, that would include the CFR, the trilateral, the Bilderbergers, the elite. No, no, he said we're not talking about that. Notice the next phrase, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought. May I ask you, according to the Word of God, what is man's new world order going to come to? Nothing. Naught. Zero. Zilch. Watch. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory. So he's still saying this is what God ordained before the world, but we were included in it. And then he says this, which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So all the politicians, all the elect, all the elite back then, all of the rulers of this world, they knew nothing of God's plan and of God's ordination. He said, had they known it, they would not have helped fulfill it.
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They were that rebellious, they were that wicked. But they did it without knowing. And then he says this, and only they didn't know, and by the way, I can assure you, if the civil rulers and the civil leaders in the elite back in Christ's day did not know the wisdom of God then, our leaders today still don't know it either, because they act contrary to it all the time.
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And then he goes on to say this in verse 9, but as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man. In other words, natural man can never conceive of, think of, or hear of, or see this wisdom in and of himself. But then he says this, verse 10, But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. May I ask you, have you ever heard of the inspiration of the Bible? Who inspired this book? God, the Holy Spirit. Where do we begin to see the deep things of God? In this book. And it is only as we spoke of earlier, and we prayed about, as God illumines our mind, as God enlightens us, that we begin to see the deep things of God. So the thoughts of God are plenteous and the thoughts of God are profound. And if you will turn in your Bibles back to Psalm 139, I want to show you a third point, and that is the thoughts of God are precious.
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We read this verse, but I did not emphasize this part of it. So look at it. Psalm 139, notice if you would, verses 17 and 18 again. David explains how precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! And an amazing exclamation, how precious are thy thoughts unto me."
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Now, the word precious in the Hebrew is the word yaqar, which means to be esteemed, to be prized, to be valued, to be precious, to be costly. So David is saying the omniscience of God, God's all-knowing, and God's condescension to think upon us should never frighten us on the one hand. And on the other hand, it should be something that we value and prize very much. Because God's thoughts are precious. You know, I cannot help but think of that passage in 1st Samuel chapter three in verse one, I'll quote it for you in just a moment.
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But you remember during that particular time, there was apostasy in Israel. God's worship, God's way, God's will, God's word was basically unheard of. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and they were corrupt. They were wicked. They were vile. In fact, God called them sons of Belial, sons of the devil. But the Lord said He would raise him up a faithful priest. And that's when Hannah brought little Samuel there. And the Bible says in 1 Samuel 3 and verse 1. Now listen carefully. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days.
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There was no open vision. There was no open preaching or public teaching. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. Have you ever stopped to think that God's thoughts are revealed in his word? As his thoughts are precious, his word should be precious. Let me go a step further. Do you remember that the scripture tells us that God's word is the written word. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. So we find that the Bible is the written word of God. It is God-breathed. It is God-exhaled. But may I remind you, that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And when you got down to John 1.14, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. So just like the thoughts of God are precious, that means the Word of God is precious. That means the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is the Living Word, is precious as well.
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Let me show you two passages, one in Old Testament, one in New Testament. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28, and then we're going to 1 Peter chapter 2. Okay? So find Isaiah 28, and then find 1 Peter chapter 2. Okay? Isaiah 28. Let me try to put this together for you. Isaiah 28, and look if you would please at verse 16. Isaiah 28, verse 16. We're going to find out what the Lord thinks of Christ. Isaiah 28, verse 16, what does God say? Therefore thus saith the Lord God. Here's what the sovereign God of the universe says.
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Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." I wonder who God has in mind when He says that? Well, if you will look in 1 Peter 2, beginning there in verse 4, I think you will find out very quickly. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 3, because there you have Him identified. 1 Peter 2, verse 3, If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. So Jesus Christ is precious.
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But then he goes further. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious." Isn't that amazing? Now listen to me as God's thoughts are precious. His word is precious. His Son is precious. And we who are in him would therefore be counted precious. Scripture says in Psalm 116, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. So God's thoughts are plenteous. God's thoughts are profound. God's thoughts are precious. Listen to what Spurgeon said one last time, quoting Spurgeon. He says this. Concerning David. On Psalm 139, verse 17, he says he is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him.
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Let me just stop there. I'll tell you what, there's some wicked that should be alarmed that God knows all about them. But he says concerning David, he is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him. On the contrary, he is comforted and even feels himself to be enriched as with a casket of precious jewels that God should think upon him is the believer's treasure and pleasure.
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He cries, how costly, how valuable are thy thoughts, how dear to me is thy perpetual attention. He thinks upon God's thoughts with delight. The more of them, the better is he pleased. It is a joy worth worlds that the Lord should think upon us who are so poor and needy. It is a joy which fills our whole nature to think upon God, returning love for love, thought for thought, after our poor fashion. Isn't that amazing? David was not alarmed that God thought about him. He thought that God's thoughts were precious, valuable, much to be desired. So when you and I think about God's thoughts, we have to think that His thoughts are revealed in Scripture.
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Jesus Christ is the living Word. And we must value God's thoughts and God's Word and God's Christ. For Scripture declares them to be precious.
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Fourthly, very quickly, the thoughts of God are peaceful. I want you to look in your Bible to Jeremiah 29, verse 11. Jeremiah 29 verse 11. The thoughts of God are peaceful. I'm going to show you from the scripture how important this is. Look what God says to his people in Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. I love this passage. And I'll tell you why. Look what God says to His people, Jeremiah 29 verse 11. God says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
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And of course, then you have all these blessed promises. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord. But going back to verse 11, God says, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil. Now, God's thoughts toward his people are thoughts of peace. I don't know if you've ever read through the book of Nehemiah.
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If you haven't, you should. But in Nehemiah chapter 5 and verse 19, Nehemiah prays and he prays this prayer, Think upon me, my God, for good. Now, listen to what he said, Think upon me, my God, for good. If you are unhappy with the thought that God's thoughts for his people are peaceful thoughts, then I want you to consider the opposite for a moment. I want you to consider the thoughts of God toward His enemies. For instance, let me just quote Psalm 7 in verse 11. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. How about Proverbs 15 in verse 26? The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.
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Or the words of the pure are pleasant words. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. If the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, how much more are the wicked an abomination to the Lord? If God is angry with the wicked every day, what does that mean? It means God despises him. It means God hates him. You say, oh, come on, Brother Weaver. God doesn't hate. Oh, yes, he does.
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In fact, look in your Bible to Psalm 5. I'll just show you one verse. Some of you will remember, I hope, that years ago I preached a message on the biblical doctrine of hatred. But look, if you would, please, in Psalm 5. And notice if you would, verses 4 and 5. And just to show you from Scripture that God does hate, Psalm 5, the Bible says in verse 4, For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
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The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
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Now, let me ask you, had you rather have God have peaceful thoughts towards you or unpeaceful thoughts? Now, the thing about Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. God says, I know the thoughts that I think towards you. Thoughts of peace. To give you an expected end. You know what an expected end is? An expected end is a desirable end, one which they will have hoped for, wished for, prayed for, wanted. It would be an end of their troubles. It would be an end of persecution. It would be an end of suffering. It would be an end that would bring them into all things that they could enjoy. Right?
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Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. I don't know about you, but I prefer this expected end that the Apostle Paul writes about in Romans chapter 8, verses 29 through 31. Look what he says. Remember what God said, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, the thoughts of peace to give you an expected end. So in Romans eight, verse twenty nine, we read this, For whom he did foreknow.
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he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"
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Now, what in the world are we talking about? Those whom He predestinated, what does the Bible say? Those He also did what? He called. Whom He called, He justified. Whom He justified, what's He going to do? He's going to glorify us. What is the expected end of the Saints of God? Glorification. Perfection. If God be for us, who can be against us? In other words, if the power of God has never failed, never shall fail. What can we expect? That God will perfect.
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That which is ordained toward us, he will glorify us. He will give us an expected end, the end which we may expect based upon scripture. So the thoughts of God are plenteous. They're profound. They're precious. They're peaceful. And one last point. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 40. And I really showed you all that other just to show you this verse. Notice Psalm 40. Verse 17. Psalm 40, verse 17. The thoughts of God are plenteous, they're profound, they're precious, they're peaceful. And are you listening? The thoughts of God are personal. Here's what I mean. David said in Psalm 40 verse 17, But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.
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Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. Can you fathom that verse? David said, I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. How is it that the omniscient, all knowing God, who has a mind so vast and so great that you and I cannot even conceive of one particle of the mind of God, and yet God, in His omniscience, in His omnipotence, in His greatness, in His vastness, is able to think upon us personally, not just collectively, personally. Now, David may have been a king. But David was also a sinner. David was also in a multitude of troubles. And David also had sickness many times. And David may rightly confess, I am poor and needy. And by the way, the word needy here is translated other times in the Bible as beggar. David said, I'm a poor beggar. Yet the Lord thinketh upon me. What are your problems? What are my problems? What are my desires? What are your desires? What are my needs? What are your needs?
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What do we want? The Lord thinks about those things. He thinks about us individually. David said, I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. And look what he says after that. Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. He's saying this since you're thinking about my miserable state and it occupies your heart, thou, O God, who art meditating upon me, please help me soon. But you're thinking about me. You know I need help. Make no tarrying, my deliverer. In other words, make haste to help me. Do it now, God. Please, do it now. You're thinking about me. Do it now while you're thinking about me.
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How many of you have ever said, I have to do it now while I'm thinking about it because if I stop thinking about it, I'll forget it? Thank God God's not like that. And God can constantly and continually think about us and our needs individually. I don't know about you, it just overwhelms me to think that God would condescend to think about me. Who am I? What am I? That the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, immutable, everlasting God of the universe should spend a moment thinking about me, yet he has thought about us from eternity, and he shall think about us throughout all eternity. And yea, he never stops thinking about us.
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He thinks about us personally. That's amazing to me. Let me give you just a couple of applications. Has it really ever entered into your mind that the Lord is genuinely concerned about you personally? He knows the grandchildren you want. He knows your desire to be holy. He knows your desire to learn. He knows everything about you. Knows your desire to be healed. He knows your desire to live a long life, a healthy life. He knows everything about you. He knows the opportunities that you have. It is just overwhelming to stop and consider that the Lord thinks about every one of us individually, personally.
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Secondly, let me say this. In light of Psalm 40 and verse 17, here's another truth. The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us. Did David come up and say, Oh, God, I'm a mighty king. I'm a powerful warrior. Look what I've done for the... No, no, no, no, no. David said, I'm poor and needy. What I've done doesn't count, doesn't matter. Who I am doesn't matter. What was David doing? He was humbling himself before God. What did our Lord say in Luke 14, verse 11? He said, for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
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Do you realize that as wicked, as ungodly as King Ahab was, when Elijah pronounced the death penalty against him, said, God's going to kill you, you wicked reprobate. In 1 Kings 21 and verse 29, he humbled himself and went softly before the Lord. And you know what God said? God said, I'm going to kill him, but not yet. I'm going to spare him a little while. Why? Because he humbled himself.
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Folks, let me tell you something. The less highly we think of ourselves, the more highly God will think of us. The less we trust in ourselves, the more we'll trust in God and trust Him for deliverance. David said, I'm poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me. You know, many times we forget the poor and needy. But God does not. And the comfort of every poor individual, every needy individual, especially the saints, is that God thinks about him. Now, since God thinks of you, what do you think of him? As Spurgeon said, Since his thoughts toward us are plenty, let not our thoughts of Him be few. May God help us to think upon Him and thank Him for thinking upon us. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us. Lord, your word is so full and so rich and such a blessing. May we count it as precious, for thy thoughts are precious and thy Son is precious. Give us, Lord, a thankful heart, a meditating heart.
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One, Lord, that will please thee and honor thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:12:52Z

The LORD Thinking of You - Part 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver explores the biblical truth that God thinks about His people personally and individually. Building on the previous message about believers thinking upon the Lord, he examines Psalm 40 and other passages to show that God's thoughts toward His saints are plenteous, profound, precious, peaceful, and personal. He emphasizes that God's thoughts are revealed in Scripture and in Christ, and that believers should respond with humility, gratitude, and meditation on God.

Review of Part 1: Thinking Upon the Lord

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Scripture Reading — Malachi 3:16-17

" If you will remember, I gave you the context in Malachi chapter 3 and told you it was a context of judgment. And I asked what in the world were the saints of God to do in a time of persecution, in a time of oppression and tyranny and suffering? And the answer is in verse 16, and they that feared the Lord, they did two things. Number one, they spake often one to another. And I pointed out that was only exhortation and encouragement and counsel, seeking counsel and giving counsel. But then they also thought upon his name. And I pointed out the fact the thinking upon the name of the Lord was more than just simply thinking that His name would be Yahweh or Jehovah, but it meant thinking about Him as a person, His attributes, everything about Him. And then, of course, I showed you how the Lord hearkened, He heard, a book of remembrance was brought before Him, and He said, They're going to be Mine, and I showed you how the Lord gave all these assurances to those who think upon His name. So we were dealing last week basically with thinking upon the Lord.

Introduction to Psalm 40: The Lord Thinking of Us

Weaver introduces Psalm 40, noting David's testimony of deliverance and the psalm's structure, and raises the question of whether God thinks about individuals personally.

God's Condescension and Personhood

Weaver argues from Psalm 113 and other passages that God humbles Himself to behold things in heaven and earth, and that God is a person with intellect, sensibility, and will, capable of thinking.

The Thoughts of God Are Plenteous

Weaver explains from Psalm 40:5 that God's thoughts toward His people are innumerable, encompassing creation, providence, and redemption, and were ordained before the foundation of the world.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:4

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. God chose us. Collectively? No. Individually. He chose us in Christ. When? Before the foundation of the world.

What does that mean? It means that God was thinking about us individually.

And you might as well mark this passage because we're going to come back to it just shortly. So look in Psalm 139. And I specifically want to read verses 17 and 18. Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18.

Muse on them, dear reader. No sweeter subject ever occupied your mind. God's thoughts of you are many. Let not your thoughts of Him be few. So, first of all, God's thoughts of us are plenteous.

The Thoughts of God Are Profound

Weaver shows from Psalm 92:5 and Romans 11:33 that God's thoughts are deep and unsearchable, revealed only through the Spirit in Scripture, and beyond human wisdom.

What's the answer? No one. No one. It's impossible to know the depth of the thoughts of God. Or to scale the mountain of God's wisdom and God's knowledge.

The Thoughts of God Are Precious

Weaver highlights Psalm 139:17, where David calls God's thoughts precious, and connects this to the preciousness of God's Word and of Christ, the living Word.

Jesus Christ is the living Word. And we must value God's thoughts and God's Word and God's Christ. For Scripture declares them to be precious.

The Thoughts of God Are Peaceful

Weaver expounds Jeremiah 29:11, showing that God's thoughts toward His people are thoughts of peace, leading to an expected end of glorification, in contrast to His thoughts toward the wicked.

The Thoughts of God Are Personal

Weaver concludes with Psalm 40:17, where David confesses he is poor and needy yet the Lord thinks upon him, emphasizing God's personal, individual concern for each believer.

Applications: Humility and Meditation

Weaver applies the message by urging believers to humble themselves, recognizing that the less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us, and to respond with frequent thoughts of God.

One, Lord, that will please thee and honor thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

The LORD Thinking of You - Part 2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	370717412
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation: Christ and the Churches
Genre	Sermon
Date	2007-01-07
Dictation Name
Book	Book 139: Revelation: Christ and the Churches — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	75

Lecture Guide

Outline

Review of Part 1: Thinking Upon the Lord: Weaver reviews Malachi 3:16, where those who feared the Lord spoke often to one another and thought upon His name, emphasizing that thinking upon the Lord involves meditating on His person and attributes.
Introduction to Psalm 40: The Lord Thinking of Us: Weaver introduces Psalm 40, noting David's testimony of deliverance and the psalm's structure, and raises the question of whether God thinks about individuals personally.
God's Condescension and Personhood: Weaver argues from Psalm 113 and other passages that God humbles Himself to behold things in heaven and earth, and that God is a person with intellect, sensibility, and will, capable of thinking.
The Thoughts of God Are Plenteous: Weaver explains from Psalm 40:5 that God's thoughts toward His people are innumerable, encompassing creation, providence, and redemption, and were ordained before the foundation of the world.
The Thoughts of God Are Profound: Weaver shows from Psalm 92:5 and Romans 11:33 that God's thoughts are deep and unsearchable, revealed only through the Spirit in Scripture, and beyond human wisdom.
The Thoughts of God Are Precious: Weaver highlights Psalm 139:17, where David calls God's thoughts precious, and connects this to the preciousness of God's Word and of Christ, the living Word.
The Thoughts of God Are Peaceful: Weaver expounds Jeremiah 29:11, showing that God's thoughts toward His people are thoughts of peace, leading to an expected end of glorification, in contrast to His thoughts toward the wicked.
The Thoughts of God Are Personal: Weaver concludes with Psalm 40:17, where David confesses he is poor and needy yet the Lord thinks upon him, emphasizing God's personal, individual concern for each believer.
Applications: Humility and Meditation: Weaver applies the message by urging believers to humble themselves, recognizing that the less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us, and to respond with frequent thoughts of God.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God is a personal being who thinks

God, though incorporeal, possesses self-consciousness and self-determination, and Scripture attributes intellect, sensibility, and will to Him, proving He thinks.

Weaver says, 'God has self-consciousness and He is self-determined... God is presented as having intellect... sensibility... and volition.'

God's thoughts toward believers are innumerable and eternal

God's thoughts include His decrees, purposes, and counsels from eternity, and they are so numerous they cannot be counted, like the sand.

Weaver cites Psalm 40:5 and Psalm 139:17-18: 'If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.'

God's thoughts are revealed in Scripture and in Christ

The deep things of God are revealed by the Spirit through the inspired Word, and Jesus Christ is the living Word, both being precious.

Weaver references 1 Corinthians 2:10: 'God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit,' and 1 Peter 2:4-7 on Christ's preciousness.

God's thoughts toward His people are peaceful, not evil

In contrast to His anger toward the wicked, God's thoughts toward His saints are thoughts of peace, leading to a glorious expected end.

Weaver quotes Jeremiah 29:11 and contrasts it with Psalm 7:11 and Proverbs 15:26 regarding God's view of the wicked.

God thinks about each believer individually in their need

David's confession 'I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me' shows God's personal, individual attention to every saint's condition.

Weaver emphasizes Psalm 40:17: 'David said, I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

Humility attracts God's favorable thoughts

When believers humble themselves and acknowledge their poverty and need, God thinks upon them and acts as their help and deliverer.

Weaver says, 'The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us... David said, I'm poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.'

Scripture References

Psalm 40:1-5: David's testimony of deliverance and declaration of God's wonderful works and thoughts which cannot be numbered.
Malachi 3:16-17: Review of last week's message: those who feared the Lord spoke often and thought upon His name, and God promised they would be His jewels.
Psalm 113:5-6: God humbles Himself to behold things in heaven and earth, showing His condescension.
Psalm 33:11: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations, proving God thinks.
Isaiah 55:8-9: God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, as the heavens are higher than the earth.
Jeremiah 23:20: The anger of the Lord will not return until He has performed the thoughts of His heart.
Revelation 4:11: God created all things for His pleasure, showing His works are according to His will.
Acts 14:17: God's providence in giving rain, fruitful seasons, food, and gladness.
2 Timothy 1:8-9: God saved and called us according to His purpose and grace given in Christ before the world began.
Ephesians 1:4: God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
Titus 1:1-2: God promised eternal life before the world began.
Jeremiah 31:3: God loved His people with an everlasting love, showing His thoughts from eternity.
Psalm 139:17-18: God's thoughts are precious and more numerous than the sand.
Psalm 92:5: God's works are great and His thoughts are very deep.
Romans 11:33-34: The depth of God's wisdom and knowledge is unsearchable; no one has known His mind.
1 Corinthians 2:5-10: God's hidden wisdom ordained before the world is revealed by the Spirit, who searches the deep things of God.
Isaiah 28:16: God lays in Zion a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.
1 Peter 2:3-7: Christ is the living stone, chosen and precious; believers are built up as a spiritual house.
Jeremiah 29:11: God knows the thoughts He thinks toward His people, thoughts of peace to give an expected end.
Psalm 40:17: David confesses he is poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks upon him; he asks God to make no tarrying.

Historical References

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Weaver quotes Spurgeon three times: on God's thoughts being good and gracious, on the profundity of God's thoughts, and on David's delight in God's thoughts.
King Ahab's humbling (1 Kings 21:29): Weaver references Ahab's humbling before God, which led to a delay in judgment, as an example of humility attracting God's mercy.

Important Quotes

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

This is the key verse from Psalm 40:5 that introduces the theme of God's plenteous thoughts toward His people.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

David's exclamation in Psalm 139:17-18 emphasizes the preciousness and innumerability of God's thoughts.

O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

Psalm 92:5 highlights the profundity of God's thoughts, a major point in the sermon.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:11 shows the peaceful nature of God's thoughts toward His people, leading to a hopeful future.

The divine thoughts march with the divine acts, for it is not according the wisdom of God to act without deliberation and counsel. All the divine thoughts are good and gracious toward his elect. God's thoughts of love are very many, very wonderful and very practical.

Spurgeon's quote reinforces the plenteous and gracious nature of God's thoughts.

The Lord's plans are as marvelous as his acts. His designs are as profound as His doings are vast. Creation is immeasurable, and the wisdom displayed in it is unsearchable.

Spurgeon's quote on the profundity of God's thoughts, used to illustrate the depth of divine wisdom.

He is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him. On the contrary, he is comforted and even feels himself to be enriched as with a casket of precious jewels that God should think upon him is the believer's treasure and pleasure.

Spurgeon's comment on Psalm 139:17, highlighting the preciousness of God's thoughts to the believer.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the truth that God thinks about you personally change the way you view your daily struggles and needs?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that God thinks about each believer individually, knowing their desires and needs.

[Question]

In what ways can we cultivate a greater awareness of the plenteousness of God's thoughts toward us?

[Context]

Weaver explains that God's thoughts are innumerable, encompassing creation, providence, and redemption.

[Question]

Why is it important to recognize that God's thoughts are profound and beyond our full understanding?

[Context]

Weaver discusses the depth of God's thoughts and the need for the Spirit's revelation through Scripture.

[Question]

How does the preciousness of God's thoughts relate to the preciousness of Christ and Scripture in your life?

[Context]

Weaver connects the preciousness of God's thoughts to the preciousness of the Word and of Christ.

[Question]

What does it mean that God's thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace, and how does that affect your response to trials?

[Context]

Weaver expounds Jeremiah 29:11, contrasting God's peaceful thoughts with His anger toward the wicked.

[Question]

How can David's confession 'I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me' become a model for our own prayer life?

[Context]

Weaver highlights Psalm 40:17 as the personal application of God's thoughts toward the humble.

[Question]

What practical steps can we take to think more frequently and deeply about God in response to His thoughts toward us?

[Context]

Weaver concludes with the application that since God thinks of us, we should not let our thoughts of Him be few.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:16:57Z