Introduction

Welcome, beloved congregation. It is always a joy to gather with you in the house of our Lord, to share in the fellowship of the spirit, and to be nourished by the Word of God. Today, we find ourselves in the book of Acts, specifically Acts 13:22. A verse that is a beacon of God's favor, His elevation, and His charge.

Acts 13:22 says,

"After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'"

This scripture, my dear friends, is a testament to the life of David, a man who found favor with God, a man who was elevated by God, and a man who was faithful in carrying out God's charge. This scripture is a testament to us, as well, for just as David was, so too can we be men and women after God's own heart.

Finding Favor with the Father

In the life of David, we see a man who was not perfect, but who was deeply committed to God. This commitment, this love for God, was what set David apart. It was what made him a man after God's own heart. It was what allowed him to find favor with the Father.

David's life was marked by a deep and abiding love for God: Even in his darkest moments, even when he was faced with great trials and tribulations, David's love for God never wavered. He was always seeking to draw closer to God, to know Him more intimately, to love Him more deeply. This love for God, this desire to draw closer to Him, was what allowed David to find favor with the Father.

David's love for God was not a passive love: It was an active love, a love that was demonstrated through his actions. David was not content to simply say that he loved God. He showed his love for God through his obedience, through his faithfulness, through his willingness to do whatever God asked of him. This active love, this demonstrated love, was what allowed David to find favor with the Father.

David's love for God was not a selfish love: It was a selfless love, a love that put God first. David was not seeking to use God for his own purposes. He was not seeking to manipulate God for his own gain. Instead, he was seeking to serve God, to honor God, to glorify God. This selfless love, this God-centered love, was what allowed David to find favor with the Father.

David's love for God was not a conditional love: It was an unconditional love, a love that was not dependent on circumstances or conditions. Even when things were not going his way, even when he was facing difficulties and challenges, David's love for God remained steadfast. He did not love God because of what God could do for him. He loved God because of who God is. This unconditional love, this steadfast love, was what allowed David to find favor with the Father.

Our own lives: We too can find favor with the Father. Like David, we can love God deeply, actively, selflessly, and unconditionally. We can seek to draw closer to God, to know Him more intimately, to love Him more deeply. We can show our love for God through our obedience, through our faithfulness, through our willingness to do whatever God asks of us. We can put God first in our lives, seeking to serve Him, to honor Him, to glorify Him. And we can love God not because of what He can do for us, but because of who He is.

When we do these things: When we love God in this way, we too can find favor with the Father. We too can be men and women after God's own heart. We too can fulfill God's elevation and remain faithful in carrying out God's charge. And like David, we too can be established in the favor of God, elevated by God, and remain faithful in carrying out God's charge.

Fulfilling God's Elevation

In the life of David, we see a man who was not born into royalty, but was elevated to the position of a king by God Himself ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO