Facing Reality
Part 3
Sermon Series: A Word about the Word
Date: February 9, 2002 AM Service
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: Psalm 119:17-24
Introduction
One of the biggest problems with many today is that they have a hard time dealing with reality. The reality of the fact or truth that God can do a better job at handling their life. My desire of this study we are going through is to bring us to the reality of the fact that as Christians we can not live a life without the truth of God’s Word implanted and imparted in our lives.
The psalmist in these 8 verses of Scripture makes three very practical suggestions that can assist us about facing reality.
I. Examine Our Dependence vv. 17-19
The very plain truth the psalmist begins with is that we desperately need God in our lives.
But many pretend we can do this thing all by ourselves.
Even Christian’s sense there is a sacred part of life that God takes care of and a secular part that we can handle.
First the psalmist says he is…
A. Dependent for life itself
1. Read verse 17
2. We need to come to the realization that each of us is dependent upon God for the every breath we take; and every moment we live.
3. In Acts chapter 17 the Apostle Paul used these words as he addressed the pagan Philosophers in Athens; those who had erected statutes to many false God’s and to even one they called the “Unknown God.”
4. Paul told them he knew this God personally and that “in Him we live, and move, and have our being.”
B. Dependent for insight into His Word
1. Read verse 18
2. Someone has said this is the supreme prayer that the student of Scripture could speak since it confesses the student’s inadequacy and the Divine Author’s sufficiency.
3. I want you to notice something here with me the psalmist does not ask for new revelation.
4. The writer has less than half of the Bible we have and says that is enough.
5. Every where you turn today you hear some cuck that says he has a new revelation from God.
6. There are no new revelations from God; there as new insights.
7. Someone that says they have a new revelation from God is a liar.
8. But stay with me here. God does give new insights to us as we read and study His Word.
9. I can preach a series of messages on the church covenant and what God, through the Holy Spirit gives me insight to is … EVANGELISM… that’s the spiritual gift He has imparted to me.
10. He may give you a different insight.
11. But we are dependent upon God for insight.
12. In 2 Corinthians Paul wrote about Moses and the children of Israel. He wrote that there was a veil, a blinder on the eyes of the children of Israel.
13. But when they turned to the Lord, God removed the veil.
14. He makes the Word of God clear.
15. I like what one commentator said, “It is a matter of why we read the Bible. Do we read it for information or do we read it for instruction.”
C. Dependent for guidance through life
1. Read verse 19
2. The idea the psalmist gives is of someone in a strange place.
3. If you and I decided to go to the remote parts of a foreign country and share the Gospel we would need a guide to show us the land and to keep us from harm.
4. Dear Christian friend, we need to realize this world is not our home, we are only passing through.
5. We must be totally dependent upon God and upon His Word to guide us through this world.
Not only does the psalmist say we are to Examine our Dependence but also…
II. Express Our Desire vv. 20-21
The word break here means crushed or consumed.
The psalmist says he is consumed with the very contents of God’s Word.
He is motivated by 2 factors.
The firs he has already mentioned
A. Motivated by recognition of humility v.20
B. Motivated by God’s rebuke of the proud
1. Read verse 21
2. My friend you need to understand something this morning; God rebukes the proud. He rebukes those who are disobedient to His Word.
3. For the child of God there should always be a desire to know the mind of God.
4. For the child of God there should be a desire to walk more closely with God.
5. The psalmist says this is the driving passion behind his life, and if we are to face reality, we need to express our desire to know the Word of God and the truth of God, and to be obedient to it.
III. Establish Our Decision vv. 22-24
The psalmist has made up his mind to be obedient to God.
The greatest choice we can ever make is to be obedient to God, to stop playing and messing around with living a Christian life.
God has a purpose for each of our lives, He is not obscure.
The psalmist says…
A. In spite of scorn, he will be faithful.
1. Read verse 22
2. When we make a decision to be obedient and follow the Lord, reproach will come.
3. Scorn means to treat as contemptible or unworthy.
4. It also means to mock.
5. When you make the decision to walk in obedience with the Lord, people will see you as weak as
B. In spite of slander, we will be strengthened
1. Read verse 23
2. Nothing hurts more than to be lied about or to be spoken against.
3. The old devil will sometimes whisper in your ear, you are a sorry no account, good for nothing, poor excuse for a Christian.
4. And for some of us that may be true.
5. Sadly enough the devil finds many willing participants within the church to help slander the name of a Christian.
6. My niece was telling about some of the women see works with about how sometimes you can hear people at a restaurant who have just came from church, bad mouthing there church and preacher
C. In spite of sadness and loneliness, we will submit to God’s Word
1. Read verse 24
2. Do you notice a sense of sadness and loneliness in the psalmist’s words?
3. He says, “There is no one else to delight in; there is no one else I can call my counselor.”
4. Many times it is a lonely place when we are faithful and totally committed to serving and obeying God.
5. But when we submit to the Word of God, to His counsel there is a delight that is found.
6. We see the promise found all throughout Scripture.
7. Isaiah 26:3 tells us; “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trutheth in Thee.”
8. Psalm 16:11 says; “Thou wilt show me the path of life; in thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
God never short changes us. He gives us His very best.
We can reach the place where we have established our decision to be obedient to God, then we can accept His definition of reality and find victory in it.
Or
We can spend our lives looking for answers, never finding one that is enough.
You need to understand God is enough.
The reality is God is what you need today.
Invitation
