A Zeal for the Lord's Blessing
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· 52 viewsThree ways to know if you desire the blessing of the Lord. There is a differnece between desiring to live in the Lord's blessing and desiring temporary happiness.
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Introduction
Introduction
Jokes:
Jokes:
"My arms have got so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee," said one.
"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts are so bad; I can't even see my coffee."
"I couldn't even mark an 'X' at election time because my hands are so crippled," volunteered a third.
"What? Speak up! What? I can't hear you,” said one elderly lady.
"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said one of the old folks, to which several nodded weakly in agreement.
"My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy!" exclaimed another.
"I forget where I am, and where I'm going," said another.
"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old,” winced an old man, as he slowly shook his head. The others nodded in agreement.
"Well, count your blessings," said one woman cheerfully. "Thank God we can all still drive."
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A family was having Friday night dinner at their grandmother’s house. Seated around the table the little granddaughter dug into the food immediately.
"Little Sue!” her mother exclaimed. “You have to wait until we make the blessing."
"No I don't," the little girl replied.
"Of course you do," her mother insisted, "we always say a blessing before eating at our house."
"That's at our house," Sue explained, "but this is Grandma’s house and she knows how to cook."
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My chitlins story
If we are not careful, we can ask for the Lord’s blessing, but what we really want is temporary happiness.
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Talking about the Lord’s blessing is complicated. Our culture has distorted this principle.
On one extreme, we turn God into a genie and ask Him to give us things we want.
On another extreme, we define blessing in terms of what someone has, or in terms of what they don’t have. If someone is wealthy, we call them blessed. If something good happens to a person, we call them blessed.
In short, we call good blessing…we call bad something else. The problem is that our definition of good and bad is sometimes not accurate.
There is a difference in desiring to live in the blessing of the Lord and desiring temporary happiness.
God designed a blessing system
God designed a blessing system
God either blesses or He curses. He either rewards or He punishes.
God blesses obedience, he never blesses disobedience.
sometimes God withholds discipline for a time to demonstrate His desire for mercy, but He never blesses disobedience.
We either desire God’s blessing or we desire something else. We either seek God’s favor or we don’t care.
God clearly articulates this system of blessing in .
1 “Now if you faithfully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all his commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth.
2 All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4 Your offspring will be blessed, and your land’s produce, and the offspring of your livestock, including the young of your herds and the newborn of your flocks.
5 Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
15 “But if you do not obey the Lord your God by carefully following all his commands and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overtake you:
16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
17 Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed.
18 Your offspring will be cursed, and your land’s produce, the young of your herds, and the newborn of your flocks.
19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
We either desire God’s blessing or we desire something else. We either seek God’s favor or we don’t care.
(Picture of two servants)
(servant 1)I want to please you.
In everything I do, I am seeking your favor.
I want you to approve of me.
I want to know you…know your instructions.
I want to obey you.
I want to live in your blessing.
(servant 2) I just don’t care about pleasing you…I don’t care if you are happy with me. I don’t care what your instructions are. I don’t care about trying to obey you. I don’t care about your blessing.
KEY QUESTION:
What kind of servant are you? Do you want to live in the Lord’s blessing? Are you zealous about living in the Lord’s blessing? Do you care?
How do we know if we really want to live in the Lord’s blessing?
helps us check the desire of our heart.
2 ways to know if you desire the blessing of the Lord.
How do you pursue righteousness?
How do you respond to crisis?
How do you pursue righteousness? (how serious is your own sin to you?)
How do you pursue righteousness? (how serious is your own sin to you?)
the psalmist wants to be obedient
he finds a way not to disobey
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3 They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways.
4 You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently.
5 Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes!
6 Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.
7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly!
he finds joy in the change he sees in his life.
THE PSALMIST WANTS TO BE OBEDIENT.
THE PSALMIST WANTS TO BE OBEDIENT.
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3 They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways.
4 You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently.
5 Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes!
6 Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.
7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly!
The psalmist recognizes that God’s terms for blessing is obedience. v1
He wants more than anything to obey the Lord. He doesn’t want to feel shame when He reads the word of God. v6
He recognizes that he needs to learn God’s instruction. v7
He is zealous. He wants to live in the Lord’s blessing. He wants to be obedient. He wants to live in right standing with God. v8
A person who wants to obey the Lord, finds a way to do it. (How do you pursue righteousness? How serious is your own sin?)
THE PSALMIST FINDS A WAY TO NOT DISOBEY
THE PSALMIST FINDS A WAY TO NOT DISOBEY
ps 119 9-
9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
He has a strategy, to keep himself from sin. He memorizes Scripture. v11
He orally recites the Scripture he has memorized. v13.
He rejoices in what he learns v14
He meditates on what he memorizes v15
He reviews what he memorizes…and he enjoys his time of review. v16
THE PSALMIST FINDS JOY IN THE CHANGE HE CAN SEE IN HIS LIFE.
THE PSALMIST FINDS JOY IN THE CHANGE HE CAN SEE IN HIS LIFE.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
29 Remove from me the way of lying, And grant me Your law graciously.
ps 119
ps 199 67
59 I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.
ps
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.
Do you find joy in the change that you see in your life? Or are you the same disobedient servant you were years ago?
You can know if you desire to live in the Lord’s blessing by evaluating how you pursue righteousness…how serious your own sin is to you.
How do you respond to crisis?
How do you respond to crisis?
how do you interpret crisis?
where do you go for peace?
THE PSALMIST INTERPRETS THE CRISIS
THE PSALMIST INTERPRETS THE CRISIS
it is interesting that God’s blessing does not always mean that you will not suffer.
The Bible says that we suffer or endure crisis for one of two reasons:
We suffer as a result of our own sin
We suffer as a result of other people’s sin
When we suffer as a result of other people’s sin, it is usually because God allows it and is strengthening our faith.
When we go through crisis, we need to know if our crisis is the result of our own sin or not.
If our own sin causes crisis, it is a sign that God’s blessing has been removed…we are not living in the Lord’s blessing.
However, if our crisis is not caused by our own sin, but the sin of others…we can endure that crisis IN the Lord’s blessing.
The reason for , is that the psalmist is enduring a crisis. He needs to know if the crisis is a sign of the Lord removing His blessing.
Look at what we can know about his crisis. Notice how he is responding to his crisis. Notice how he is evaluating his response:
23 Princes also sit and speak against me, But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
ps 119
25 My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.
28 My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.
ps 119
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.
51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction.
52 Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago and find comfort.
53 Rage seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction.
54 Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life.
55 Lord, I remember your name in the night, and I obey your instruction.
56 This is my practice: I obey your precepts.
ps 119 69
81 My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.
82 My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83 For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
84 How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85 The proud have dug pits for me, Which is not according to Your law.
86 All Your commandments are faithful; They persecute me wrongfully; Help me!
87 They almost made an end of me on earth, But I did not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
ps 119 81-
ps 119
Whatever he is going through is intense. But notice how he is responding to crisis. He is evaluating his heart. He is responding to crisis by depending on the Lord, seeking righteousness, and desiring to obey God’s word.
After searching his heart, the psalmist concludes (v86) that he is suffering from other people’s sin.
Many times when we go through crisis, we ask the Lord and others: Why is the Lord doing this to me? Why is He allowing this?
How you answer this question can tell you whether or not you want to live in the blessing of the Lord. There is a difference between living in the Lord’s blessing and seeking temporary happiness.
Sometimes it is possible to be blessed while being depressed.
THE PSALMIST GOES TO GOD’S WORD FOR PEACE
THE PSALMIST GOES TO GOD’S WORD FOR PEACE
Where do you go for peace? Where you go to find peace in the midst of the storm is a strong indicator of your desire for God’s blessing (eternal), or your desire for temporary happiness.
Do you seek peace from:
alcohol
medication
entertainment
hobby
seclusion
intimate relationships
50 This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.
51 The proud have me in great derision, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, And have comforted myself.
53 Indignation has taken hold of me Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I remember Your name in the night, O Lord, And I keep Your law.
56 This has become mine, Because I kept Your precepts.
ps 119 50-
ministry
This is a picture of someone who has found peace in crisis. He uses the phrase: Comfort in my affliction.
The world seeks to escape crisis by pursuing happiness.
The one who seeks the Lord’s blessing rests in crisis and may not feel happy. However, the Lord promises peace.
Paul says it clearly in
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
it is the picture of Stephen...
It is the picture of Jesus…(forgive them for they do not know what they do)
How you respond to crisis can tell you whether or not you desire to live in the Lord’s blessing.
RESPOND
RESPOND
Musicians, please come forward for our time of invitation. We set apart this time every service because:
God is calling some of you to join this church by covenant.
Some have given their life to the Lord, but they need to be baptized.
Some need to make a special commitment to the Lord
Come forward during this time and share what God is doing in your life with the church.
What kind of servant are you? Do you want to live in the Lord’s blessing? Are you zealous about living in the Lord’s blessing? Do you care?
teaches us:
Those who want temporary happiness, chase after the things of this world. They are left unsatisfied.
Those who desire the Lord’s blessing may suffer, but they chase after peace in the midst of the storm and rest until the storm is over. They may not be happy, but they are blessed…and their blessing is eternal.
Are you tired of chasing after temporary happiness only to find that what the world offers only destroys you?
teaches us to turn to God’s word.
1 God
2 ways to live
we have all made the wrong choice
we all suffer the consequences of our own sin.
The Bible says that we will suffer the consequences of our sin now and for eternity…hell
Repent: 3 things that are happening when we turn back to God.
Believe
Ask
Committ