KNOW MY HEART, OH GOD!!!
Text: Psalm 139:17-24 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
I. THE THOUGHTS OF GOD AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF DAVID.
A. David’s thoughts are thoughts of worship.
Illustration: William Temple once said:
Worship is the nourishment of the mind upon God's truth. Worship is the quickening of the conscience by God's holiness. Worship is the cleansing of the imagination by God's beauty. Worship is the response of my life to God's plan for my life.
1. The thoughts of GOD are precious to David. VS. 17
2. David is in awe of Almighty GOD! VS. 17
3. David understands the glory of GOD, but also the penalty for wickedness.
B. David’s thoughts of GOD are continual.
1. David lay’s down to sleep with the LORD.
2. His first thoughts in the morning are of GOD.
3. The sum total of David’s thoughts are of GOD.
C. David’s thoughts are of oneness with GOD!
1. The desire of David’s heart is that GOD’s will aligns with what he does.
2. David wants to know GOD better that he might follow Him closer.
3. GOD’s enemies are those that would lead him away from GOD.
a. They are those that blaspheme the name of GOD.
b. Those that speak against GOD are most in need of HIM.
II. DAVID UNDERSTANDS, SEEKS AND CRY’S OUT FOR GOD’S FORGIVENESS.
A. Search me oh God! VS. 23
1. GOD knew David’s heart, and HE knows yours and mine.
Jer. 17:9 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
a. We like David need to ask GOD to search us.
b. Of course there is more to it than GOD just searching our hearts.
2. God knows the darkness and sin in every heart.
3. GOD sees our thoughts.
a. In the Garden of Eden, GOD looked into the heart of man.
Gen. 6:5 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
b. And GOD is looking into our hearts today.
Luke 5:22 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
B. A clean heart equals a thankful, prayerful and grateful heart.
1. When you live in sin you will never be close to GOD.
a. Paul said through the inspiration of Almighty God in 1 Cor. 6:9-11that the un-forgiven would not inherit the Kingdom of God.
1 Cor. 6:9-11 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: 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.
2. Some of you listening to me today think that you will get away with your sin.
a. You won’t. Your sin is open to the eyes of God and the punishment is eternal torment in the lake of fire.
Illustration: The merchant's measure may be wrong, but God's measure is just and right. The merchant measures a gallon of oil or a pound of tea, and does not give full measure. God says to the recording angel—
"So many drops too few; so many grains short. Write it down."
We may cheat man, but we cannot cheat God.
Rev. 20:15 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
3. Some of you play with sin like its no big thing its, your choice and you will make it.
a. God will not forever put up with mine or your sins.
b. The day will come and it could be today that God will say “times up.
C. David calls for God to try him and know his heart.
1. While God knows our heart, it’s the communication and calling out that GOD wants to hear.
2. When we call out to GOD for HIS leadership and will our Loving FATHER hears and listens to HIS children.
3. With a deceitfully wicked heart GOD wants to hear HIS children call out for forgiveness and leadership. VS. 24
III. DO YOU WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD LIKE DAVID HAD?
A. You can have it.
1. God sees the sin in your life.
Illustration: There is an old proverb that says, He that sins is human; he that grieves over sin is a saint; he that boasts of sin is of the devil; He that forgives sin is God. The heart and the eye are the agents of sin.
a. God does not desire that you be far from Him.
2 Pet. 3:9 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
b. Our loving God sent His Son that you and I might not be shackled with the awful price of sin.
c. But the day will come, the Word of God says.
2 Pet. 3:10 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2. Have you been wasting your life playing with sin?
a. There is a way back to the bosom of your precious Heavenly Father.
Acts 13:38 38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
b. Not by anything that we can do, but by our LORD Jesus.
Eph. 1:7 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
c. If you’ve never asked Jesus to forgive your sins and to save you, do that this morning.
d. If you fit into that category where you have been off dabbling in sin, God will forgive you.
Conclusion: Be a David, be a man or woman after God’s own heart.
