Peace in the Midst of the Storm
Part 21
Sermon Series: A Word about the Word
Date: October 12, 2003 P.M. Service
Place: Allendale Baptist Church
Text: Psalm 119: 161-168
Introduction
The psalmist has been under constant pressure, discouraged, and depressed. He uses two words repetively; persecution and affliction.
· It seems that every section he mentions the opposition and intimidation he is facing.
· But against all the pressures he has grown in his faith and continues to state his commitment to the Word of God.
· He has placed himself under the magnifying glass of God’s Word.
· He keeps turning back to God’s Word; he meditates and studies it; but above all he obeys it.
· The Word of God offers the child of God what nothing else can; peace.
I like someone’s definition of peace: “Peace is the brief glorious moment when those who have been shooting at you stop to reload.”
The greatest definition of peace “is that calm of mind that is not ruffled by adversity, overclouded by a remorseful conscience, or disturbed by fear.”
In this next to the last section of Psalm 119, we see the same situation in the psalmist’s life.
The first two verses we see a situation that is …
I. Awesome
In verse 161 he describes an awesome…
A. Persecution
1. “Princes have persecuted me without cause.”
2. Down through the centuries God’s faithful people have always been persecuted and afflicted.
3. Paul addresses this in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”
4. There will always be persecution but in the last section of the verse we see an awesome…
B. Power v. 161b
1. “But my heart standeth in awe of Thy Word.”
2. Matthew Henry said; “The heart that stands in awe of God’s Word is armed against the temptations that arise from persecution.”
Next we see the psalmist speaks of his…
II. Adoration
It was …
A. Discovered
1. Verse 162; “I rejoice at Thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil.”
2. Many times when archeologists find one of the world’s greatest treasures, they cannot enjoy it because it is the claim or the property of the country or land they found it in.
3. But we, as Christians, when we find the hidden treasure in God’s Word, revealed to us through the Holy Spirit, not only can we enjoy them, we can use them because they are ours.
Next we see something the psalmist…
B. Despised
1. Verse 163 “I hate and abhor lying”
2. Someone has said and I do agree that the lying the psalmist is speaking of is in reference to false religious doctrine or false religious hope.
3. I must stop to say this, in a recent newspaper the other day I read an article about a new thing that people are doing in place of funerals today they do not call in preachers or pastors but what they call “celebrators.” The men and women help the family with a service that brings closure to the family. But it is not of religious content. Many of these are Baptist ministers. (I use that word loosely.) They do not preach the gospel; they do not read Scripture. Needless to say they do not point anyone to salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus.
4. I have preached funerals with preachers like this and it sickens me that this is done.
5. May today preach an easy feel good believism that is not changing people’s lives.
Next we see he was…
C. Delighted v. 164
1. Verse 164; “Seven times a day I praise Thee because of Thy righteous judgments.”
2. This would be a good example for us to follow. Instead of coming to God with our needs just coming to Him with praise and adoration and thanksgiving.
3. Seven in the Hebrew language refers to completeness and fullness or perfection.
4. Praising God is a duty we should excel in.
Next we see…
III. Approval
There are two benefits, two results of this type of attitude the psalmist has displayed. When we make our commitment to God with no strings attached, when we trust God and love His Word 2 things will happen. First…
A. Serenity
1. “Great peace have they that love Thy law.”
2. In the Hebrew, it means “a rich measure of well-being that lacks nothing.”
3. Jimmy Draper says; “One of the benefits for the person who walks with God and loves, obeys, meditates on, and yields his life to the Word of God is great peace. Then he needs nothing else.”
The second benefit is…
B. Stability
1. “And nothing shall offend them.”
2. This can also be translated, “Nothing can make them stumble.”
3. Many of us question God, many of us quarrel with God when we are not at peace with God.
4. When there is peace with God, and the peace of God, there will be a trust in God.
Last we see an…
IV. Acknowledgement
Once again the psalmist speaks of his total dependence upon the Lord.
Verse 166 refers to an…
A. Expectation
1. “Lord, I have hoped for Thy salvation, and done Thy commandments.”
2. Here he says, God is the only one that can save me from this situation. There is no other hope.
3. My dear friend, that is the message we must cling to in our times of trouble. But also that is the message we must share with a lost world that has no hope.
Next we see an…
B. Excitement
1. Verse 167; “My soul hath kept Thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly.”
2. Notice that he kept God’s Word.
3. My wife has me on a diet and I am trying to do a little more exercise now to keep off the weight I am losing.
4. Exercise may help me physically but keeping God’s Word is heart-work for the soul.
5. The keeping of the Word refers to the obedience to the Word.
Last he speaks of an…
C. Exposure v. 168
1. “I have kept Thy precepts and Thy testimonies.”
2. The psalmist’s first motive for serving the Lord faithfully is from the heart. It is because of his love for the Lord.
3. The psalmist second motive is from the mind.
4. “For all my ways are before Thee.”
5. His heart loves doing and obeying the things of God, and his mind tells him it is the right thing to do because God knows everything about his heart and mind.
When we find ourselves in the midst of the storm, what we need most of all is not for the storm to be over, but for peace in the storm.
· Someone has said; “If the storm is over before we find peace, it will not be long before we are back in another storm, with no peace, not knowing how to handle it either.”
Every head bowed and every eye closed.
How many of you would say tonight “preacher, I am in the midst of a storm and I need that peace?”
God offers you that peace. Would you right where you are submit to Him? Would you cry out to Him tonight?
If you need to give Him your life you come tonight.
If you need prayer you come tonight
Invitation…
