How to Enjoy God pt.3

Read Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

Intro

Who’s having a good summer? Raise your hand

Hope you’re having a great

fun summer.

But even

though

summer is here

school

is still out

people aren’t

fully satisfied

with their vacation.

Some of you

are bored

of your summer.

So today

I want to help you

have a fully

satisfying

and enjoyable

summer

and rest of your life.

And that

is by enjoying

something

that will give you

the ultimate

pleasure

and enjoyment.

And that is God.

Today is the final part

of How to Enjoy God.

1. Praise God for His trustworthiness(v.8)

This is what David does

in v.8, ‘Oh taste and see that the LORD is good;’

This is praise!

God wants us

to enjoy Him

by praising Him!

Ephesians 1:5–6 (ESV)

he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

God has accomplished

salvation for us

so that

we would

praise Him.

But isn’t this narcissistic?

Isn’t this selfish

to want

people to praise you?

C.S. Lewis

who wrote

the Chronicles of Narnia

said,

‘it seemed to me

that God

was like a vain woman

seeking compliments.’

Even great Christian authors

had

these thoughts

until

he understood

the truth

about praise.

Unless

you understand

these two things

about praise

you won’t

be able

to truly

enjoy God.

First,

because God is God

there are things

He can do

that humans can’t.

Biggest example,

God

can forgive sins

people

cannot.

Second,

when you praise

anything

not just God

in life

such as

your favorite sports player

you praise that person

because

of your satisfaction in him. Because of your

enjoyment of him.

Praise

is the overflow

of deep

satisfaction

and enjoyment. (Repeat)

You guys know

that my favorite

basketball player

is Kobe Bryant.

But another

favorite athlete

of mine

is Manny Pacquiao.

A Filipino boxer

he is one of the greatest boxers

of all time.

And whenever

I watched

him fight

I would praise him

not to

make

his ego big

I mean

he can’t hear me

through the TV.

But I praised him

because I enjoyed

watching his quick speed

and powerful punches.

But maybe

you’re not

really

a sports fan.

There is one thing

we can all

agree on.

And that is good food.

One food

I’ve been enjoying a lot lately

are McNuggets

with the new sauce. (mcnuggets pic)

When I took a bite

with the new

special grade garlic sauce

I said,

‘delicious!’

But if that’s too simple

for you

the top rated sushi restaurant

in the world

by chef

Jiro (jiro pic)

is a highly coveted

place to eat at.

The excellence is so high

junior chefs

would take 10 years

just preparing rice.

This highly famous place

is visited

by presidents

and big name people. (obama sushi pic)

There’s even a documentary

on it.

Now

this place

is so popular

that it would take a year

in advance

reservation

to eat at.

But that

doesn’t stop

people

from enjoying

and praising

the best

sushi

in the world.

Because praise

comes from great

satisfaction

and enjoyment.

And that’s why

David

praised God.

Because

he enjoyed Him.

David enjoyed

God so much

that he tasted God.

Look again

at v.8,

‘taste!’

Taste

is for food!

And yet

David

uses

taste

for God.

We talked about the most popular drink

in the world

what is it? (ask)

Coke.

‘Enjoy coke’

is the popular slogan.

You think about enjoying

a nice cold drink

on a hot

tiring

day.

You need

to also

think about enjoying

God

on a worrisome

lonely

and sorrowful

day.

Taste God

students.

But taste

isn’t the only thing

David

wants you to do

he also says, ‘see’.

When my wife

and I

went on a cruise

years ago

one of the most beautiful

sights

I saw

was the 7 mile beach (7 mile beach pic)

at Grand Cayman.

And as you can see

it had pearly perfect

clear water

and white

sands.

It was so good

and enjoyable

to be there

and to see.

So we see

David

enjoying God.

But what

is he tasting

and seeing

in God?

What

exactly

is causing

David

to enjoy

leading

him to praise Him?

David tells us

in the next sentence,

‘Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!’

If you trust

in God

He will bless you.

He will give you

peace

joy

and satisfaction

and you

will not

be disappointed.

Romans 10:11 (NASB95)

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

So many

things in life

disappoint.

Hyped up

games

shows

movies

music.

They promise

to give great

satisfaction

and enjoyment

but they fail.

But God

doesn’t.

Because He’s reliable.

He’s trustworthy.

Because God

never

failed

David.

When David

fought a 9 foot giant

with a sling

God was there

for him.

When David

ran away

from Saul

and escaped

death

numerous times

it was because

God was there.

And when

David

remembered

these things

it brought Him more

enjoyment

than any

music

food

or possible pleasure.

This is how

you enjoy God

students.

When you focus

your mind

on God’s faithfulness

and trustworthiness

it will give you

far more

enjoyment

than music

or friends

and satisfy you

so deeply

causing you to praise Him

with your mouth.

And when you do this

it also causes you

to live rightly.

Look at v.9, ‘Oh, fear the LORD you His saints!’

You see students

living

a righteous

and holy life

is not

something you do

because you are forced

to do it.

That you make yourself

do it.

But you live

a holy

and righteous life

because

you enjoy God.

You live

a holy way

because

it is a pleasure

to you.

Growing up as a Catholic

we are taught

to live a holy life

or else

you will go to hell.

You sin one time

and now

there is this

massive guilt.

And so

we tried

to live righteously

because we were forced to

out of fear.

But as Christians

if you live

the Christian life

based on

love

and enjoyment

it’s no longer

forced

but because

you enjoy it.

Psalm 119:47 (ESV)

for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.

If you want to enjoy God students

love

His commandments.

Love

to obey God.

Because

there is great joy

and satisfaction

in following God

than following

worldly desires.

But there is one more thing

that David

praises God for.

And that

is His care.

2. Praise God for His care (v.9-10)

You guys saw

the assassination attempt on Trump?

You know the word

I hear

a lot

when people talk

about the assassination attempt?

Providence.

Providence means

God’s care

over everything in the world. We see this

in v.9, ‘There is no want to those who fear Him.’

You’ve all heard

about wants vs. needs right?

A want is something

that you desire

but not necessary

to live.

For example

you want the new iPhone

but you will

just be fine

without it

because you already have

a smartphone already.

A need

is something necessary to live.

You need

a roof

over your head.

You need water

or else

you’ll die.

And usually

we talk about God

providing our needs.

So that you don’t

want

anything.

But there’s something

different

in this verse.

Because what

does David

say here?

He says want.

‘There is no want to those who fear Him.’

David is saying

that not only

does God

take care

of your needs

but your wants too.

So does that mean

if I want a mansion

and a McLaren

God will give it to me?

No.

But if I want it

isn’t David saying

God will take care

of my wants?

God will

take care

of your wants

but not

in the way

you’re thinking.

You see

students

when you enjoy God

and it shows

by your godly fear of Him

it’s because

God changes

what

you enjoy.

In other words

God changes

what

you want.

Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The psalmist is saying

that when

you delight

when you enjoy God

it’s because

He gives you

the desire

to enjoy God.

Meaning

that God can

and does

change

your desires

and wants

to what He wants.

And what God wants

is for you

to be completely satisfied

and to have a joyful life

because that

is what brings Him glory

is His children

fully

take care of.

You will no longer

want

worldly things

useless things

because

God gives you

better

things than that.

Too often

we think

that the fun

the excitement

and the satisfaction

comes from sin.

And that God

is here

to steal

our fun

and joy

when in reality

sin

is the thief

of fulfillment

and pleasure.

The thief

comes to kill

and destroy

by lying to you.

It is God

who wants

you

to have full excitement

and enjoyment.

A parent

told me

that he enjoys

taking out his kids

to fun places

like getting ice cream.

And that he enjoys

the praise

when his kids say,

‘dad you’re the best’!

And the dad

isn’t seeking

the praise itself

but what he enjoys

is seeing his kids

enjoy themselves.

God

is a wonderful Father

who enjoys

seeing you

enjoy life

so He makes sure

to take care of you

by fulfilling

your enjoyment

with enjoyable things

in life yes

but especially

with the most pleasurable thing

in the world

Himself.

Remember this

God

wants you

to be happy. (repeat)

And of course

God doesn’t only

take care

of your wants

but also

your needs.

Look at v.10, ‘The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.’

What I found odd

about this verse

is when it says

‘the young lions lack and suffer hunger’.

How?

Lions

at the prime age

are the apex predator.

They can hunt

and eat

whatever they want

whenever they want.

Well believe it or not

even lions

can starve.

A couple years ago

a zoo

in Sudan

had lions

that were starving. (starving lions pic)

To the point

that some

even died.

The top

of the food-chain animal

lion

can even be hungry

because of a broken world.

But not Christians.

God will always

take care

of His children’s needs.

There’s a story

of a Christian family

that was just barely

making ends meet.

One day

they were totally out of food.

And so the family

at supper time

prayed together

and the community

came right at dinner time

and provided dinner.

Matthew 6:25–26 (ESV)

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

As Christians

we have a lot of problems

in life

but food

clothing

and a roof

your needs

is not

one of them.

If God will feed even the birds

how much more

his own

children?

If anything

especially in America

we have too much food!

That’s why

when you all

come to Friday night live

or any event

you need to take

the extra food

with you.

But remember

God

takes care

of your needs

and wants.

‘But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.’

See in your mind

a person

who has everything

he needs

and everything

he wants.

What a happy person right?

This students

is true

contentment.

Philippians 4:11–13 (ESV)

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Usually

when we think of contentment

we think of forcing ourselves

to be content

while not having

what we want.

But Paul

was content

because

God

took care

of his needs

and wants!

It’s not a fake

contentment

it’s the most real

contentment

one could ever

have.

Christian contentment

comes not from forcing yourself

to be content

but from recognizing

that God

takes care

of your needs

and wants!

You are content

you already

have

what you need

and what you want!

So students.

This is how you enjoy God.

Through praise.

And you praise Him

not because

you are forced to.

But because

God

fills you

with full satisfaction

fun

enjoyment

in Him.

In His trustworthiness

and His taking care

of you.

Gospel/conclusion