Desirable Desires

DESIRABLE DESIRES

Text: Ps.27: 4; Ps.73: 24

Intro: Paul the apostle dealt with the same “tug of war” from his desires that we deal with from ours. Speaking of the bodily appetites, Paul said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Cor.9: 27). Paul indicated that he felt the constant pull of the desires of the flesh upon him.

However, desires can be either good or bad. While there are certainly desires that we should shun, there are also those that we should seek. In Psalm 27: 4, David spoke of his desire to worship in God’s house, and to enjoy the sweetness and grace of God’s presence there as long as he lived. Those are certainly desires that any Christian should seek. David was seeking after fellowship with God. What better desire could a child of God have than that?

In Psalm 73: 24, Asaph had a great desire for God’s leadership in his life. He could think of nothing better than going to heaven at the end of his life knowing that God had led him all the way. This too should be one of our desires as Christians.

The point is folks; we need to cultivate godly desires. There are many godly desires that could be mentioned today, but I simply don’t have time to deal with them all. I’ll mention only three that I believe to be very important.

Theme: May God create within us an earnest desire to:

I. REACH THE LOST WITH REDEMPTION

A. The Lost Were The One Great Mission Of Our Lord.

Luke 19: 10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

John 12: 46 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

NOTE: Folks, Christ was willing to give His all for a lost world.

It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, “What will you give me if I release you?”

“The half of my wealth,” was his reply.

“And if I release your children?”

“Everything I possess.”

“And if I release your wife?”

“Your Majesty, I will give myself.”

Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all.

As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man!” With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you—the one who was willing to give himself for me.”

Source Unknown

B. The Lost Have Everything To Lose.

II Thess.1: 7 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”

NOTE: Why would anyone remain lost, when they have so much to lose? Some are lost because they rebel against God and His love. Others remain lost because they look for salvation in all the wrong places. Henry L. Miller once said, “Objects are lost because people look where they are not instead of where they are” (Source Unknown). Salvation is found only in Christ, by faith. There is no other way.

C. The Lost Are The Objects Of God’s Great Love.

I John 4: 10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

John 3: 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

D. The Lost Being Saved Should Be One Of Our Passions Of Life.

Rom.9: 1 “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:”

Rom.10: 1 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”

II. REALIZE THE REALITY OF REVIVAL

A. The Church As A Whole Is Woefully Unconcerned.

Rev.3: 14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;