“Strength for the Weak Days”
Part 4
Sermon Series: A Word about the Word
Date: February 17, 2003
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: Psalm 119: 25-32
Introduction
In this section of the 119th Psalm, the writer is crying out from the melting pot of trials and troubles. He is experiencing difficulties in his life. He is a believer but is struggling, and desires a deeper understanding and a greater insight into God’s Word.
I have to stop and say this; If this is who some to believe the young King David or even the faithful servant of the Lord, Daniel, I am encouraged.
Even those of us who are called of God and serve Him faithfully get to a point when we experience “weak days.” There are many times in our lives we feel we ought to stronger. We should be better at this Christian life and more in control of our Christian walk.
One important fact we should notice here is that this great person of faith is not driven away from God but is drawn closer to God in His problems.
The psalmist difficulties are a result of his own weaknesses in his life.
This section of the Psalm seems to divide into 2 parts: My ways and God’s Ways.
· If you don’t hear anything else I say this morning hear this. You cannot live a committed Christian life and be satisfied living according to your own ways.
· When it boils down to it you are either living your way or God’s way.
So let’s look at the two this morning.
I. My Ways vv. 25-29
A. The Confession of My Ways
· “My soul cleaveth unto the dust”
· This is spoken with a tone of conflict, of humiliation in his situation but not without hope.
· The psalmist seems to be depressed about the lack of consistency in his life.
· Something in his life has turned him from the faithful life that he desires to live.
· Notice his longing. “Quicken thou me…”
· Quicken means to become alive or become sensitive.
· Some translations also say “revive”.
· * The psalmist confesses his ways and is now crying out for revival in his life.
· * Revive means to bring back to life, or to return to effectiveness.
· * Dear Christian friend you and I need to understand we will not experience true revival in our personal lives nor in our land until there is a turning back to God’s Word.
· * Until there is a hunger within the Christian community to hear from God.
B. The Conviction of My Ways
· Read verses 26-27
· He has a conviction as he has confessed his ways; God has listened and is responding.
· Can I say this; when you and I confess our sins we can be assured God hears.
· And when we confess our heart, our ears and our minds are clean and clear. We are now ready to receive instruction from the Lord.
· I have to upfront and honest here; many of us just read the Bible for information.
· What we need is a desire for instruction.
· The problem with many of those within the church today is we do not have a particular desire to do God’s Word. We just want to understand it.
C. The Contradiction of My Ways
· Read verses 28-29
· Here I go repeating myself again: As long as we are abiding, living and responding to “My Ways”, we are going to be living in contradiction to God’s Ways.
· It is contradictions to sing, praise, and pray on Sunday and live like the devil the rest of the week.
· It is a contradiction to claim the name of Christ, as a blood bought child of the living God and not demonstrate it in each and every area of our lives.
· Do people around you know you’re a child of God?
· Let me stop and ask you this question because it’s very near and dear to my heart: If someone was looking for a Christian to tell them about Jesus Christ, would they come to you?
· Many of us want to separate our work life and our Christian life.
· Folks if you are worried about being too offensive and will not share your faith at the work place, you need to stand up and share your faith.
· How can you not tell someone about the wonderful marvelous mercy and grace you have received?
· When you are in love with someone, don’t you want to tell someone how much you are in love?
· Well why not tell them about the one that loved you so much He sent His Son to die for you?
These last 4 verses speak of God’s ways
II. Thy Ways vv. 30-32
The psalmist realizing his inadequacies, his sin and confessing and agreeing with God his weaknesses make a deliberate choice.
A. The Choice of God’s Ways
· Read verse 30
· It is very important for Christians to continually declare that we have chosen God’s way. That we have chosen to let God be Governor of our lives.
· We as Christians should also declare to a lost and dieing world that God’s way is the only way that can bring meaning and purpose to life.
· The world has nothing to offer us.
· That old hymn that says: I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back; No turning back. Though none go with me, I still will follow. The cross before me the world behind me… No turning back… No turning back.
Next we see…
B. The Commitment to God’s Ways
· Read verse 31
1. Look at some of the definitions of the word stuck and see if it does not speak of commitment:
a. To remain firm, determined, or resolute.
b. To remain loyal or faithful.
c. To persist or endure.
· Every time I use or give a definition of the word commitment I like to tell the story of the plate of ham and eggs. The chicken made a contribution to the breakfast, but the pig made a commitment.
· The pig gave something of himself.
· When you and I make a commitment to follow the ways of God, we will give of ourselves.
· I believe that is why so many of us struggle and have difficulties in our lives. We say we are committed to God to His service and His church. But many will not serve; many are committed to other things but not God.
Next notice…
C. The Celerity to God’s Ways
· This word celerity means quickness; swiftness
· Read verse 32
· Many of us here this morning walked into this building because most of us do not have a great problem with walking.
· But there is something about running.
· It takes a deliberate action. It takes effort.
· Do you know that people that run have a heart that is much stronger than those who do not run?
· The psalmist says, “I have made a choice to God’s ways; I am committed to God’s ways and now I must respond with swiftness, without delay.
· If I can give you any advise at all do not procrastinate when God speaks to you.
· If He is calling you today to a saving knowledge of Him; respond with swiftness.
· If He has revealed His will to you do so quickly.
· My friend when we respond to God with that attitude and desire, He will enlarge our hearts.
· Many Bible scholars agree that the concept of an enlarged heart means to gain more understanding.
· This is the whole context of this passage.
· This “running in the way of God’s commandments” implies more than an apathetic following. It shouts with an eagerness to follow the set course.
Close
Do you have that desire as the psalmist to run the way of God’s commandments?
Is your heart enlarged with the Word of God?
Invitation
