Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Tragedy struck this week in Uvalde Texas, and unfortunately this side of heaven it wont be the last time either.
Hurricanes, Terrorist attacks, active shootings, drive-bys, murders, kidnappings, car-accidents, sicknesses, abandonment, etc - the list goes on.
Whether it happens to us individually or on a larger scale when it hits it can be hard and difficult to persevere in faith.
Many of the Psalms inscriptions give us insight to the circumstances surrounding the writing of the Psalm.
Psalm 3 David fled Absalom his son, Psalm 34 A Psalm of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, Psalm 51 penned by David after “Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had sinned with Bathsheba.”,
and Psalm 57 is a Psalm of David “when he fled Saul in the cave.”.
Psalm 27 is simply titled a Psalm of David.
We know who wrote it and we know he faced difficulties in his life, we do not know the special circumstance prompting this Psalm so we can apply it fairly widely.
It speaks of trouble David faced because of enemies.
The beauty of this Psalm is that David praised and prayed in the midst of these circumstances because David had great confidence in the LORD.
On April 21st 1764 John Wesley wrote in his journal about a visit he had made.
He said (today) I visited one who was ill in bed; and, after having buried seven of her family in six months, had just heard that the eighth, her beloved husband was cast away at sea.
I asked “Do you not fret those things?”
She said with a lovely smile upon her pale cheek, “O no! How can I fret anything which is the will of God?
Let Him take all besides: He has given me Himself.
I love, I praise Him every moment.”
Trouble hits all and tough circumstances come to all - what makes one stay and another lose faith?
Confidence in God gives the power to withstand.
In this Psalm we see how to develop that confidence in God so we can withstand likewise.
Times of Crisis - Regain Right Perspective
God Is Our Fortress
David makes two declarations about who the Lord is - who he knows the LORD to be in his life.
David was a skilled warrior and a man of impressive accomplishments especially in battles.
He however never lost sight of the LORD being the strength of His life.
If we do not know God as the strength of our life it is because we trust in other things for our strength and protection.
Most find it all too easy to trust in wisdom, experience, friends, family, and our own resources.
David knew a strength greater than anything else that would ever be found in this world.
Paul wrote of the need for this strength in spiritual warfare.
David speaks of the LORD being the stronghold of his life.
Stronghold that is a fortress, a defense, a safety.
The LORD is our defense and security of our life.
In acknowledging this David says - the LORD is my light and salvation - who guides me in the dark and has saved my life — WHO should I fear?
The LORD is his fortress and safety who should he dread?
His safety - strong defense was found in the Lord’s strength and his fear was eliminated in the truth of God’s strength and love.
Our safety is to be found in the LORD and when we find our safety in the LORD as our fortress and defense it dispels our fear.
Perfect love casts out fear.
Who or what is the strength and safety of your life - especially in times of crisis?
Our Enemies Will Fall
David in this crisis also remembered the outcome for his enemies.
David describes his enemies as evil men and they come against him to devour his flesh.
Wild animals without compassion - cold blooded without mercy.
They attacked David but David kept in mind their end - they stumbled and fell when they came against him.
They will not ultimately succeed in victory over him.
Evil men will come against us and oppose us.
Evil men commit evil acts, but evil men will fall simply because they are evil men.
God opposes the evil men and comes against them.
Don’t be surprised when evil men come against - for it was said by Jesus they would.
God Is Our Confidence
David then states that even if an army deploys against him his heart will not fear.
Again we know that his confidence is God.
With God his heart has nothing to fear.
Though a war breaks out against me still David will remain confident.
Not confident in self but confident in God with his life.
Confident God upholds his life - all of it even the crisis times.
David trusted the Lord for the victory even against unbeatable odds.
We are tempted to look every where else for confidence, but its when we trust and remain confident in God that we are able to withstand the onslaught, the storms, the crisis and the wars around us and against us.
God is bigger than your problems, and you can have full confidence in him.
Now that doesn’t mean that everything will turn out the way you want it to.
God in his wisdom may have different plans for you than you would choose.
Christians suffer; they grieve; they are not immune to sickness and sorrow.
Christians lose loved ones; they are imprisoned; their dreams sometimes come crashing down around them.
But God is faithful, and he will bring you through whatever problems you face.
In the long run, even death cannot hurt the child of God, for death simply ushers us into God’s presence.
Everyday - Dwell Richly With God
Focused Daily Desire
Times of crisis call for a change of perspective on the situation and to regain our perspective of who God is.
That perspective of God only comes however from the everyday practice of dwelling richly with God.
David here shows us how to dwell richly with God every day and the first thing is that it takes focused daily desire - FOR God.
David says I have asked for one thing from the LORD and it comes from his true and single greatest desire of his heart.
What is David’s greatest desire?
To dwell int he house of the LORD ALL the days of his life.
David’s perspective of the LORD came from desiring the LORD.
Do we desire the LORD?
Do we want to dwell with the LORD - live with Him and commune with Him?
A confident faith in God is relational at its foundation.
One thing David wanted was to dwell with God everyday of his life.
It was his daily desire.
What is our single greatest desire?
Is it to dwell with God everyday?
Do we awake each day desiring God and His house?
Or do we only desire God some days and other days not really?
Like David do we desire to gaze at the beauty of God and seek Him in His temple?
How do you behold God’s beauty?
Find Him in His word, in prayer, in worship, in the fellowship of God’s people.
Gaze upon God’s beauty.
Fix your eyes upon him.
Feast upon him.
Gaze intently, enjoying sweet fellowship with your God.
It is the one thing that if you have it, you don’t desire anything else.
David says that when he focuses on desiring God his head is lifted high above his enemies.
His head is lifted in confidence daily and everyday lifted in countenance.
Lifted up with joy and praise for the LORD.
David knew the truth that there is protection for those who desire God everyday and seek Him earnestly.
The promise is not to prevent trouble but to provide security and stability in the midst of it.
Those who dwell with God daily arent free from trouble but neither are they shaken by it for they are able withstand because daily they are set upon the rock.
Something a Christian minister in China by the name of Wang Ming-Dao said fits.
He had spent 23 years in prison.
His strong faith in God inspired millions of Chinese Christians.
After his release a visiting minister from the United States asked him, “I will probably never be put in prison like you, so how can your faith have any impact on mine?”
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