DO WE HAVE DAVID’S DESIRE?
Ps. 27:4
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A man was telling about an exciting experience in Russia. His sleigh was pursued over the frozen wastes by a pack of at least a dozen famished wolves.
2. He arose and shot the foremost one, and the others stopped to devour it. But they soon caught up with him, and he shot another, which was in turn devoured. This was repeated until the last famished wolf was almost upon him with yearning jaws, when…”
3. "Say, partner," broke in one of the listeners, "according to your reckoning that last famished wolf must have eaten the other eleven. So how was he still famished?"
4. "Well, come to think it over," said the story teller, "maybe he wasn't so famished after all."
5. That’s the subject of our message tonight; having a hunger for God.
B. TEXT
1. “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” Ps. 27:4, NKJV.
2. “[God’s Words] are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb” Ps. 19:10, NASB.
3. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When shall I come and appear before God?” Ps. 42:1-2, NKJV.
4. “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” Ps. 84:2, NKJV. [Although Psalms 42 & 84 were written “for the sons of Korah,” most commentators believe David wrote both.]
C. THESIS
1. “Desire” is defined as “a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen;” “to long for or to hope for.”
2. David was esteemed by God because he desired the things of God. I want us to examine our hearts and see how our desires compare to those of David.
3. The title of this message is “Do We Have David’s Desire?”
I. THERE ARE GOOD & BAD DESIRES
A. WHAT DO PEOPLE DESIRE?
1. Forbes Mag. (5/24/16; Kathy Caprino) had an article on “The Top 8 Things People Desperately Desire But Can't Seem To Attain.” 771 Americans responded.
2. Their answers were, in order, Happiness, Money, Freedom, Peace, Joy, Balance, Fulfillment, Confidence. The problem is, people try to achieve these through THINGS or PEOPLE. All things and people will not last, and they have limits on what they can do for us.
3. The Bible makes clear that we have “evil desires” (Rom. 7:8, Col. 3:5; Gal. 5:24; Eph. 2:3) or good desires, such as desiring to live godly lives (2 Tim. 3:12) or desiring spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:31).
4. Paul made lists of the evil desires and their deeds in Rom. 1:29; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Col. 3:5; and Gal. 5:19-21 so we can know for sure if we find ourselves heading in the wrong direction. If our desires are centered on money, pleasure, entertainment, selfish desires, pride, human achievements – then we’re way off track from following God.
B. WE MUST CULTIVATE THE DESIRE WHICH RULES US
1. PROBLEM: WE ARE RULED BY OUR DESIRES. The Bible tells us we will follow what our hearts desire (Ezek. 11:21; Mark 8:34; etc.).
2. That’s why we’re told to “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Prov. 4:23.
3. If we choose evil desires, they will steer our life away from God and down to ruin. If we choose to set our desires on the things God says, our lives will be filled with satisfaction and fulfillment, with joy and happiness.
4. Paul said, “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” Col. 3:1-2.
5. YOU MUST CHOOSE TO SET YOUR HEART AND MIND ON THE RIGHT PLACE: ON GOD, HIS WORD, & HIS WORK.
II. DAVID WAS MADE GREAT BY HIS EXCELLENT DESIRES
“I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” Acts 13:22.
A. DAVID DESIRED GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE
1. DAVID BECAME A MAN HUNGRY, THIRSTY FOR GOD. By seeking Him, David discovered that God was a real, living Person. David communed with God out on the hills of Bethlehem as a shepherd in the solitude & stillness.
2. David became a WORSHIPPER of God with his harp. He discovered the presence of God in worship and God became a real Person to him, his best Friend, the Lover of his soul!
3. David DEVELOPED A HUNGER for God; “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land, where no water is” Ps. 63:1. “I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.” Psalm 143:6.
4. David LOVED GOD’S WORD more than his daily bread. He mediated upon God’s Law, day and night. He wrote songs that sang praises of God’s Word. Whenever he needed counsel, he turned first to God’s Law for advice.
5. Are we hungry and thirsty for God? Do we love His Word more than our daily food?
B. HE WANTED TO PLEASE GOD
1. One additional step David took was to find out what would please God, and do it. God says, “I have found David…a man after my own heart; he WILL DO EVERYTHING I WANT HIM TO DO” Acts 13:22.
2. Loving God is not just a feeling. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” Jn. 14:21. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” Jn. 15:10. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” 1 Jn. 5:3. We need to choose to DO God’s will.
3. David built himself a new luxurious house, but the Ark of God was still out under a tent. David began to think of God’s presence out there in the weather, and began to feel bad that he was comfortable but God was still outside.
4. He sang Ps. 132:1-5 to God; “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob” Ps. 132:1-4. This concern for the well-being of God touched God’s heart.
5. Because David cared about God more than he did about himself, God called him a “man after My own heart.” May we do the same.
III. WE HAVE THE DUTY TO “PREPARE OUR HEARTS”
A. DAVID’S GRANDSON FAILED IN THIS DUTY
1. “And [Rehoboam] did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord” 2 Chr. 12:14.
2. Because we can choose what our hearts crave, IT IS CONSIDERED A SIN BY GOD if we fail to get a plan to keep our hearts centered on God!
3. So every child of God is under obligation to make sure they long for God, His house, His Word, for prayer and for worship – like David did.
4. We need to develop the disciplines of daily Bible reading, prayer & worship. We need to attend church every time the doors are open.
5. We need to closely monitor our spiritual temperature so that we don’t get cold and fall away from God in our hearts.
B. THE HIDDEN DANGER OF THE THIRD CHOICE
1. There is an unseen danger that has snared many of God’s children. The opposite of “desire” is “satisfaction.” It’s a false feeling we have everything we need and don’t need any more.
2. Because Americans have doctors & medicine, jobs, cars & houses, and retirement plans, we are especially susceptible to the disease of satisfaction; we get the false feeling we have everything and need nothing.
3. This is the terrible situation of the Church at Laodicea, to whom Christ said, “I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” Rev. 3:16-17.
4. Spiritual “satisfaction” is a deadly enemy. We must never think we have all of God that we need. Yes, we’re saved, but if we stop being in fellowship with Jesus, He said we’d be cast forth as a branch.
5. We must adopt the attitude of Paul who said, 8“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own….13I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phip. 3:8-9, 13-14.
6. Paul had experienced a lot with God – more than we ever will – yet he said that he hadn’t arrived, that he never got satisfied with his relationship with Jesus. He always knew there was more to know about Him, more joyous time to fellowship with Him, so Paul put his most diligent effort into getting to know Him more!
7. To stop having this attitude is equivalent to having indifference toward Jesus. It’s like a lover who is no longer interested in the one they say they love. For such a one there’s no more excitement, no more intrigue, no more interest.
8. So I challenge you with David and Paul’s desire tonight: do you have a current and fervent love for God, where you can’t wait to be with Him, to learn about Him, to do things to show your love for Him?
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. There's a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge."
2. Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, "What do you want?" "Knowledge, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a smile.
3. Socrates put his strong hands on the man's shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. "What do you want?" he asked again. "Wisdom," the young man sputtered, "O great and wise Socrates."
4. Socrates shoved him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. "What do you want, young man?" He wheezed, "Knowledge, O wise and wonderful..."
5. Socrates jammed him under again 40 seconds. "What do you want?" "Air!" he bellowed. "I need air!" "When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge." [M. Littleton in Moody Monthly, June, 1989, p. 29]
6. I say that when you really want the Person of God, you will find Him and be filled with Him!
B. THE CALL
1. Remember, it’s those who surrender all of themselves to God, who receive the most from God. God gives it all back, plus some. You can’t outgive God! You must take a leap of faith and trust your life & future into His hands. Who’s ready to do that?
2. Are you hungry for God? Do you love to read God’s Word, pray & praise? Are you teachable? Are you determined not to let God go?
3. Can you honestly say, “Search my heart, God, and see that my motives are pure?” Do you have secrets you hope God doesn’t notice? If so, you need to repent.
4. Finally, have you made it your ambition to make God happy by how you live your life and cooperate with Him in blessing others? Be a man or woman after God’s own heart!
