But Now...

Psalm 119:67

 “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”*

There are not too many individuals in the Body of Christ today who do not know even a little bit about the man David.  The anointed boy who became one of the greatest kings Israel ever knew, has a history in which many individuals today might identify in some way, shape, form, or fashion.

The Bible refers to King David in many ways.  One such reference is found in 1 Samuel 13:14 were the prophet tells King Saul that “…the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart…”

The Apostle Paul, in Acts 13:22, takes it a bit further when he says, "…he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and saith, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfill all My will."

Notice that Paul added the statement "which shall fulfill all My will".  What a powerful statement to be made about a man who is not yet even a man.  What confidence God must have had in David to not only call him a man after His own heart, but to also declare that he shall fulfill all of His will.

Didn't God know that this David, whom He had such confidence, would be an adulterer?  Didn't God know that this David, whom He declared would fulfilled all His will, would also commit murder?  How is it then that the all knowing God of heaven and earth, who sees the end before the beginning, could make such a prestigious statement about an individual who was about to go against His will and would one day, commit adultery and murder?

Now before I answer that question, let me remind you who are listening to me, that God did not call you a blessed man or woman after you accepted Him as your Savior.  But while you were sinking in the sea of sin and shame, while you were far from the peaceful shore of salvation, this same God looked down from heaven and called you blessed.  While you were still smoking crack, sleeping in beds that were not yours, drinking drinks that altered your personality, lying, stealing, cheating, and just plain getting over; Paul said in Romans 5:8, "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

God didn't wait until you get cleaned up to call you blessed.  He didn't wait until you were perfect, before He died for you.  But God looked down from heaven on your poor miserable so and declared you blessed even when you were still a mess!

Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 that “neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

God knew that David would commit adultery, but He called him anyway.  God knew that David would commit murder, but He called him anyway.  God knew that Peter would deny Him, but He called him anyway.  God knew that Judas would betray Him, but He called him anyway.  God knew that you wouldn't be able to get along with anybody, but He called you in a way.

Some of you think that God waited until you got saved before He called you to minister in song.  Some of you think that God waited until you gave your life to Him before He called you into the ministry and to preach the gospel.  Some of you think that God is waiting for you to get your life together before He gives you His gifts.  But I've got news for you today.

Help me, Jeremiah!  Alright, Sykes, I'll help you!  Jeremiah 1:5 says, “4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

I need somebody to just begin the praise God, because He called you, even while you were a wretch undone!

Our scripture text, simply stated, reads "Before I was afflicted I went astray:  but now have I kept thy word."

David here, is admitting something that very few people I know ever admit.  In essence, he is saying that prior to the trials and temptations, tribulations and adversities that came into his life, he admittedly walk away from the presence, the safety, and the guidance of God.

Before, or prior to, his affliction, he probably felt, as many of us sometimes do, that since things were seemingly going his way, there was no need to seek the face of the Lord as he was accustomed to doing in times past. 

Isn't it interesting how the more that things are going right in our lives, the less we pray?

Isn't it funny that as long as we have money to pay for our medications the less we seek God about our healing?

Is that something how some of us have reduced God to a "Genie in a bottle"; someone who can fulfill our three wishes, rather than recognizing Him as the Supreme Being that He is?

David is telling us that rather than be a man after God's own heart, he became a man after the heart of the world.  But how many of you know that there comes a time in all of our lives when God says, "Enough is enough!"  How many of you understand that God knows just what to do to get our attention off of the world and our focus back on Him?

When I was a child growing up in my parents house, we were allowed to stay outside and play as long as we wanted to.  But there were two distinct times when we had to drop everything and come into the house immediately and without question.  1.  When one of them called us to come in.  And 2.  When the streetlights came on.

Is there anybody in the House today that wants to admit that you'd still be out there playing if the light hadn't come on?  The Psalmist said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and the light unto my pathway.”

Now I need somebody to give God praise, because the light came on and you had sense enough to get in the house!

The prodigal son strayed away from the father's house so that he could live the life that he thought was a good time.  He spent all his money and all of his friends left him.  Having no more friends, and no more money left him hungry; so hungry that he was about to kneel down with the hogs and share their slop.  Within the Bible says that he "came to himself".  Look at your neighbor and say “the light came on!”  You know the story.  When he came to himself; when the light came on, what did he do?  He went to the house where he knew his father was.

People of God, since God's Word can not return unto Him void, then everything that He has spoken over us must come to pass!  Every prophecy that has gone out on our lives; every proclamation that He has declared over us, has got to come forth at His appointed time.  But sometimes it takes afflictions to turn us around and point us in the right direction.

Davis says, if it had not been for the afflictions that I had to endure; the sickness that infiltrated my body; the embarrassment that almost made me run away and hide; the pain that I tried to make me give up; if it had not been for all of that happening in my life, I'd still be going astray.  But now...

In verse 71 of this same chapter, David says, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

Don't you dare raise your hand, but I know that if God hadn't afflicted some of you, you'd still be doing your thing right now; today!  For some of you, the only reason why you're saved today is because God afflicted you.  You will testimony is not that got saved you from a miserable life of sin, but the stuff you are in was enjoyable.

The text says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray:  but now have I kept thy word."

The words "but now" are grammatically called transitional words, and indicates that whatever came before those words is about to change.  The speakers indicating that things may look one way at the moment, however, a change is about to take place.  It's a transition.

Tran•si•tion

1  a      : passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another : change

    b      : a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another

2  a      : a musical modulation

    b      : a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another

"Before I was afflicted I went astray:  (transition) but now have I kept thy word."

We have heard it said on a number of occasions, that one is either going through a storm, in the midst of a storm, or coming out of a storm.  In addition to that, might I also suggest that one is either going through transition, in the midst of transition, or coming out of transition.

None of that is bad in and of itself.  However, let me give you three things to remember about your transitional period and then I'm done.

1. Transition times are sure to bring problems because there will always be tension between the old and the new. (When I would do good, evil…)
2. The tension of transition times will be eased by our constant affirmation that we love God and He loves us.  “For the joy that was set before him...”
3. Transition does not last always, but a date of completion is sure to come.  Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (or finish) it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

"Before I was afflicted I went astray:  but now have I kept thy word."

Now that I am on the other side of this verse, I don't have to worry anymore about what's going to happen, because I'm safely trusting in His word.  It was my afflictions that caused me to get back down on my knees.  It is my afflictions that forced me to pick up my Bible and read about what God was saying over me.  It was my afflictions that made me stop running after the world and start running back to God.  “Before I was afflicted, I went astray:  but now have I kept thy word.”

Before I was afflicted, I was on my way to a devil's hell, but now... I'm on my way to heaven.

Before I was afflicted, I look down on others and exalted myself, but now... I exalt others above myself.

Before I was afflicted, I loved the world and the things of the world, but now... I love the Lord my God with all of the heart, all of my soul, all of my mind, and all of my strength.

The hymnologist penned these words that I believe all of us can identify with today:  “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost, but now I'm found; was blind but now I see.

"Before I was afflicted I went astray:  but now have I kept thy word."