Psalm 85: I Want More

Introduction

1762 - BSC founded by Daniel Marshall. He would go on to plant the first Baptist church in Georgia. Why? Something happening in America during his time - Great Awakening. Jonathan Edwards - July 8, 1741 - “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” a sermon he had to stop preaching because of the response. https://todayincthistory.com/2018/07/08/july-8-jonathan-edwards-sinners-in-the-hands-of-an-angry-god/

"There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God." (Jonathan Edwards)

George Whitefield - itinerant preacher from England. 40 years traveled back and forth preaching outdoors. (John Wesley) Supported by Jonathan Edwards. Daniel Marshall influenced by George Whitefield - started a church planting movement.

Historians - no part of early America untouched by the Great Awakening. Every time I rode on campus reminded of unique time in history prayed, “Lord, help us to experience that...” I wanted more than the church fights, the nominal Christianity, and the consumeristic mindset that plagues the church. I still want that.

I want more for our country. What would it be like in our own country if a movement of God swept across our country in such a way that no part of our country was untouched by God’s Spirit?

I want more for you. Students, don’t settle for just getting an education - unique time to grow in faith. College was a powerful time of growth for me.

I want more, and I know God wants to do more (Ephesians 3:20).

Why don’t we experience more? With our mouths we say we want more, but our hearts have not caught up with our mouths.

Psalm 85 - the psalmist - a son of Korah - wants more. Simple question to answer this morning: “How do I experience more of the kind of life that God desires for me?”

Four ways to begin to experience more of the kind of life that God desires for you.

Don’t forget

Book 3 - Many psalms written while the people were in exile.

Psalm 85 doesn’t have a date but some scholars believe that it may have been written after the exiles returned to Israel.

If so, been away for 70 years. Imagine the joy of being home. Also, imagine the disappointment of being home. (When we go to New Orleans… “How did I live here?”)

Everything different. No temple. Homes destroyed. The disappointment. “It will never be the same.” Hard years of rebuilding, but enemies threatening at their borders. No city walls for fortification.

Nehemiah 1:3: “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.”

Maybe psalmist praying from a heart of discouragement - he doesn’t want to forget, and he doesn’t want his people to forget what God has done because if they forget they’ll take their eyes off of God and be in the same spiritual condition they were in before the exile.

God had showed favor to the people by being faithful to bringing them out of exile and back into the land. (Jeremiah 25:8-13)

He restored their fortunes - brought them home. He forgave their guilt and covered their sin. He turned away His anger. Israel deserved destruction, but instead they got a second chance.

Psalmist tempted to be discouraged - “Let me not forget.”

We have a tendency to forget how good God has been to us, and when we forget what God has done, we have a tendency to stray away from Him.

Cycle in Israel - continue to forget. In the wilderness, when initially brought into the Promised Land, in the time of the Judges. God raises up prophet after prophet to help them remember. But… the people forget and stray away from God.

You forget too. Why?

You forget because you make your God too small and you make your world too big.

What do you make big in your life? Your problems. Your wants (jealousy, etc). Your sins. Your career. Your wealth. Other people - let what others think about you shape what you think about yourself.

What do you make small in your life? The seriousness of your sin, and the magnitude of God’s forgiveness - His grace, His goodness, etc.

If I want more in my relationship with God then I must see who God is, and I do that by remembering daily what God has done.

Col. 1:18 - I can’t forget that because of what He’s done He takes first place.

Hudson and his fitbit… What his heart longed for… but for how long?

Don’t settle

vs. 4 - Return to us! If they’re back in the land, think about what the psalmist is saying. “Being back in the land isn’t enough! We need more! We need you!”

A series of rhetorical questions:

Will you be angry with us forever? Of course not. The psalmist had seen God withhold His anger from Israel.

Will you prolong your anger for all generations? Of course not. Psalmist knew history. The Exodus - second generation got to enter the Promised Land. Future promise: God would restore His people through a future king.

Will you not revive us again? Psalmist knew the past. He knew the future. He was concerned with the present. “I know what you’ve done. I know what your’e going to do. I want you to do a work in our nation now.”

We know the past. God has forgiven us. We know our future. God is going to restore us. But, what about our present? I don’t want to settle for a nominal, lukewarm Christianity while I wait on God to make good on His promise to bring about the return of Christ. I want to see God work in miraculous ways now. I want revival/renewal now.

http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/tapi-tapi-ice-cream-tapiwa-guzha-south-africa-spc-intl/index.html?utm_source=twCNN&utm_content=2022-08-19T18%3A55%3A54&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link Why would I settle for terrible ice cream when I know I can buy Blue Bell? I don’t want to settle now for less than God has for me when I know I can feast on what is satisfying now - His goodness.

Revival is not a series of meetings held at a church. Revival is renewal. Tim Keller: Revival isn’t a ministry or an event. It’s the process of the Holy Spirit engaging individuals at their hearts and transforming the church. Revival is the magnification of the every-day works of the Holy Spirit. During true revival, sleepy Christians wake up and non-Christians start exploring the gospel.

Ray Ortlund: Revival is a season in the life of the church when God causes the normal ministry of the gospel to surge forward with extraordinary spiritual power. . . .

Psalmist looks around sees the condition of where he and his people are, and says, “Being home isn’t enough. We want to experience you.”

Truth: God can take all your problems away and there can still be a big problem: your heart.

Revival isn’t God taking away all your problems. Revival is our hearts returning to God and seeking God for a movement of His Spirit in our lives and in the lives of others.

Does your heart long for revival? To see God do a work in the present? How do I know that I long for revival?

Revival: when I pray for my church more than I complain about the church.

Revival: when I care more about God’s mission more than I care about my own comforts and happiness.

Revival: when I want my children to follow Jesus more than I want their success.

Revival: when I desire to walk in holiness more than I desire to have my selfish needs met.

Revival: when I want to spend time with God and His people more than I want to spend my time to entertain myself.

Don’t ignore

“I will listen...” That’s what got Israel in trouble in the first place. They failed to listen. Psalmist doesn’t want to make that mistake again.

Psalmist: “The Lord will give us peace and not let us go back to our foolish ways.” Sounds like what Jesus taught us to pray: “Lead us not into temptation.”

“Lord keep us from ourselves.”

God has given me everything I need to avoid my foolish ways. He’s given me His Spirit, His Word, and His people. I need to listen and obey.

James 1:22: “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Why we don’t experience revival: passive listening instead of active listening.

Passive listening: “I’ll sit and listen to God’s Word, but I have no intention of doing anything with it.’

Active listening: “I need God’s Word to shape my life. I’m listening with a desire for transformation.”

Three questions you’re asking if you’re listening actively to the Word of God:

How should I think?

What should I do?

How do I do it?

God is not speaking to you just to fill your head with information about Him. He’s speaking to you to change you. “His salvation is very near those who fear him…” (85:9) Near those who take His Word seriously.

Don’t reject

vs. 10 - Faithful love, truth, righteousness, and peace are what we need - what our hearts should crave.

Will join together - how? In Christ. In Christ, love poured out for us. In Christ, truth. (John 14:6) In Christ, righteousness. He who knew no sin became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). In Christ, peace (Romans 5:1).

Know what a revived heart longs for: growing in faithful love, truth, righteousness, and peace.

A heart that longs for renewal will not reject what God desires for you: to grow you your understanding of the character of God.

Know what a straying heart longs for: growth in what I want. For some, these things are not appealing because you’re believing the lie of the enemy: knowing God and walking with God not good enough. There’s got to be more.

The Psalmist: I know there’s more - and it’s in the God of Israel.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ve found more. More is ALWAYS in a relationship with Christ.

If you’re not a follower of Jesus - embrace the ONE who wants to give you more by turning from your sin and turning to the One who died and rose again for you.

This morning:

Pray for revival in your heart and the life of the church.

Pray for God to help us to not be content with this present world but to be fully content with Him.

Pray for God to awaken our hearts for His mission.