The Path To God's Joyful Presence Part Iii Series

The Path to God’s Joyful Presence PT 3

Ps 16:4-6

I.THIS MONTH WE ARE GIVING SPECIAL EMPHASIS TO SEEKING GODS PRESENCE

A. Our verse of the month comes from Ps 16. and deals with the joy of His presence (Read)

II. THERE ARE SEVERAL CRUCIAL TRUTHS ABOUT THE BELIEVER’S JOY THAT WE MUST CONTINUALLY KEEP BEFORE US

1. Joy is a gift of God, and like all of his other inner gifts it can be experienced even in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances.

2. Joy is grounded in God Himself and flows from Him. Rom 15:13

3. Joy is not an isolated or occasional consequence of faith but rather an integral part of one’s whole relation to God .

4. The fullness of joy comes when there is a deep sense of the presence of God in one’s life. Ps 16:11

5. We cannot experience joy while being preoccupied with our own security, pleasure, or self-interest.

III. THE PATH TO GOD’S JOYFUL PRESENCE

Verse 11 is the summary of Ps 16

1. David says God will make known to him the path of life that leads to His presence where there is fullness of joy!

2. I believe that path leading to God’s joyful presence is given in the preceding verses.

B. We have seen the first 4 steps on the path to God’s joyful presence.

1. Complete trust in God’s care and protection (1)

Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.

2 Complete surrender to God as Lord (2)

I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;

3. A true conviction that God is our chief good. (2)

I have no good besides You."

4. A SINCERE DELIGHT IN GOD’S PEOPLE (3)As for the saints who are in the earth,

They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.

E. A DISSASSOCIATION FROM THE UNGODLY (4)

The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;

I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

F. A REALIZATION THAT THE LORD IS OUR TRUE INHERITANCE (5)

The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

G. A TRUST IN GOD AS OUR SUSTAINER (5)

and my cup

H. A RELIANCE ON GOD TO SECURE OUR SALVATION (5)

You support my lot.

1. Support = keep, to grasp, to hold, to attain, to lay hold of, to hold fast

2. David is sayings God not only sustains him in this life but God also sustains him for eternity.

3. Lot = his salvation, his eternal inheritance

4. Not only is God his eternal inheritance, not only is God the one who will sustain him in this life but God is also the one who protects his eternal security.

5. Do you rely on God to secure your eternal destiny?

6. If you are afraid that you will lose your salvation how can you have joy?

*If you are continually plagued with doubts about your salvation how can you have joy?

*If you think your eternal salvation depends on you, how can you have joy?

7. We must rely on God and God alone as the One who keeps us saved!

*If it depended on us we would be in trouble.

* Jesus said John 6:39

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

John 10:27-29

27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 " My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

1 Peter 1:3-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

Jude 24

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

8.What about those people who say they are Christians put they have fallen away and rejected Jesus?