The great invitation

 

LIMAVADY BAPTIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 12 MAY 2024 pm MR BEN DALY

ISAIAH 55

Years ago in Mexico a father put up a post on Facebook inviting people in his village to his 15 year old daughter’s coming of age party.  Someone shared the post and suddenly thousands of people responded to say they were coming to the party.  They were coming to this corner of Mexico.  Aeroplane companies were using this invite in their advertisements.  They put on flights just so people could attend.  The father said “we never intended to send the invitation to so many, just those in our small village.”  It became a worldwide invitation.  They simply wanted to hold a traditional party, they never meant it to be an invitation to everyone.  Tonight we have an invitation to everyone.  This is the great invitation and it is open to all and sundry to respond to it.  The suffering servant that Isaiah wrote about 700 years before the coming of Jesus is giving us a great invitation.  To what he has done at Calvary.  The invitation requires an urgent response.  In the opening 3 verses of Isaiah 55 we have the invitation to come – “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness.  Incline your ear and come unto me; hear and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of Daivd.” Who is the invitation to?  Those who are hungry and thirsty.  Those who are thirsting for more in life.  The world cannot truly satisfy.   The invitation is to someone who acknowledges they are poor and needy.  They have nothing to bring to the table but God’s invite is in the world today.  We value what people can bring.  We invite them to our social events based on what they can given.  But that is not the basis of this invitation.  Those who are thirsty, those who are hungry, those who are poor, those who are needy – they are the ideal candidates to hear this invitation.  Matthew 5 “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.”  It is for those who are hungry and poor.  It is also for the self sufficient.  Those who think they can bring their money and buy salvation.  There are those in society who believe that if they just have the next car, were better at their sport, had a wife or husband but none of these will satisfy.  So why do you keep on trying?  Why do you spend your money on that which will never satisfy?  It may taste good for a season but not for long.  It is like the market seller laying out his goods on the table and at the end of the day with his earnings buying bread.  It does not satisfy long term.  Everyone is invited.  We fall into 2 categories tonight – the poor or the self sufficient.  You are invited tonight.  You are hearing the word to come.  What are you invited to?  “Come ye to the waters”  If you are thirsty tonight you can come to the living waters which satisfy.  We might not appreciate the imagery used here as we live in a society with too much water at times but in the time when this invitation was written the people lived in the scorching heat of the desert.  We are invited to drink of living water tonight.  Water in the bible is an image of life.  Jesus said in John 7 verse 37 “If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”  He told the Samaritan woman you are being invited to experience life, fullness satisfied.  But we not only invited to experience satisfaction but joy also.  “Buy wine and milk without money and without price.”  Wine is a picture of joy in the bible.  We are invited to experience lasting joy that is only found in Jesus.  Milk provides strength.  You will experience power and strength in your life.  Lasting joy.  Satisfaction in the gospel.  Have you picked up that it is without money?  You are perhaps sceptical – it is too good to be true.  Where is the catch?  There is none.  You cannot buy this.  You can bring nothing to the table because of Isaiah 53.  It was all paid 2000 years ago.  Jesus paid the price for your sin and mine.  Jesus paid it all.  The free offer is extended and there is no catch.  We are simply invited.  This is God’s riches at Christ’s expense.  We receive all of the riches of God as laid out in Isaiah 55 verse 1.  It gives us so much in him.  Not just saved from hell we are invited to the richest fare – to drink and enjoy and be satisfied all at no cost to us.  Can you trust this great invitation?  It is based on God’s word – verse 3 “I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”  In the Old Testament there were the Abrahamic, the Mosaic and the Davidic covenants.  Here he appeals to God’s mercy as displayed in his covenant to David.  2 Samuel 7 tells us that one of David’s descendants would come and be given a throne that would last forever.  Can we trust it?  Will it happen?  Yes. In Matthew and Luke’s gospel we are told that there was one who came out of David’s line.  The angel appeared to Mary and said “He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”  That was partly fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus but will be fully fulfilled in the second coming of Jesus.  God’s word can be trusted.  Thousands of years passed before Jesus appeared on the scene and thousands of years have passed since then and he will appear once more.  The covenant has been established by Jesus.  He has saved his people from their sins.  We can rely on his great invitation secured by what he has done 2000 years ago.  He took the penalty for our sins so that this invitation could be extended to you and I.  It is an invitation based on God’s word.  This great invitation requires an urgent response from each of us – verses 6 and 7 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”  Every invitation requires an RSVP.  Yes I will come or no I cannot come.  Maybe we make an excuse for not coming.  This invitation is no different.  It requires each of us to respond.  You cannot stand in the middle.  There is no such a thing as sitting on the fence.  You have to make a decision about what you are going to do with this invitation.  There are 4 things to do – seek the Lord, call on him, forsake your wicked way and turn to the Lord.  They will change the course of your life and importantly the course of your eternity.  You need to acknowledge you have nothing and that you need a Saviour.  You need to call out for mercy and grace to be given, for salvation to be given to you.  To say “I want to accept this invitation, I want to receive Christ for myself, I want to experience life, joy and happiness.”  Turn to him, trust in him, forsake your way of going.  Turn around, do the full uturn.  Turn to the Lord who is gracious and merciful.  If you do that God will pardon you, forgive you.  Verse 7 “he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.”  Romans 10 verse 13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  He will pardon you.  Notice that within this great invitation there is an urgency.  There is a deadline attached to the invitation.  Verse 6 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.”  It does not say to us when the day is that you have to respond on.  Not told how long we have got.  “Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.”  Tonight you are able to come, to respond.  Tomorrow may be too late.  Tonight is the only certainty that you have.  The opportunity is open.  It will not always be so, it will not always remain open.  The Lord is gracious, compassionate.  The evidence is that you are hearing this great invitation.  Will you come before it is too late?  Before the RSVP deadlines has been breached?  Will you seek him while he may be found?  We are promised “where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst.”  He is gracious and he will abundantly pardon.  Will you come?  He offers you real life, satisfying joy, an eternity with Christ which is far better.  Will you come to the Saviour this evening?

The Suffering Servant

 

LIMAVADY BAPTIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 12 MAY 2024 – MR BEN DALY

ISAIAH 52 VERSE 13 – CHAPTER 53 VERSE 12

We are coming to the jewel in the crown of the Old Testament, certainly in the book of Isaiah.  The clearest prophecy of redemption accomplished at Calvary.  700 years before Jesus came to earth Isaish sees through the eye of faith.  You could divide the book of Isaiah in 2 – first half is Isaiah pronouncing God’s judgment.  The people had turned their back on God while the second half of the book is a word of comfort.  The Messiah will come and execute righteousness, set up a kingdom on the earth.  Throughout the book we see the themes of judgement and mercy.  There are so many chapters with that theme running through it.  I want us to see 3 things in this section of our reading:

1.       The servant’s suffering

2.     The Father’s sovereignty

3.     The servant’s success

First look at the servant’s suffering – verses 13 to 15.  There is the shocking horror or reality – that the Messiah will be the one who will suffer greatly.  What a word of comfort though.  The people who rejected their God – imagine reading this.  The Messiah’s visage will be marred.  He will suffer so much.  In chapter 53 the theme of substitution comes through.  The Messiah will suffer in the place of his people.  Verse 3 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”  Verse 4 “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried out sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.”  Verse 5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed.”  We hear so much about pronouns today.  The pronouns here in these verses are essential to our understanding of the heart of the gospel.  Substitution is taking place here in Isaiah’s prophecy.  All that we deserved was laid on this suffering servant.  Substitution is at the heart of this chapter.  Jesus Christ took our place at the cross.  What we deserved as rebels who had turned our backs on God.  God had led this people out of exile in Egypt.  All they deserved was laid on the son of God who would come as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 verse 8.  As the hymn writer said, “It was my sin that held him there”.  Why did Jesus die?  He died for you and me.  Isn’t that obvious today?  Never move past eh reality that the Messiah would leave the splendours of heaven, come into this sin cursed world, although innocent would take the place of rebellious guilty sinners, would go through the agonies of Calvary to bear our sins on his shoulders.  Never let it be said that Christ did not directly die in our place.  2 Corinthians 5 verse 21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  Through what Christ died for us on the cross we would be made the righteousness of God.  He who knew no sin became sin for us today.  Stand in awe of what he has done for you today.  It is finished.  The Messiah dies.  He has completed the sacrifice.  The great redeeming work is in a suffering servant, suffering for you and me.  Not for anything he has done or what the Old Testament people have done.  Suffering for you and me.

The Father’s sovereignty.  Verse 10 “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”  Who killed Jesus?  What would be your answer to that question?  Through the pages of the bible, we might say the Jewish crowd – they cried out “crucify him, crucify him.”  Surely, they bear some responsibility.  They were rejecting their Messiah even though he stood in front of them.  Surely Pilate bears some responsibility too.  He heard all the evidence against Jesus.  3 times he said, “I find no fault in this man”.  He had no reason to condemn his to death.  He handed him over to be crucified.  Pilate is only remembered in history for one reason – “Jesus suffered under the Roman Pontius Pilate.”  The Roman soldiers could be held responsible for killing Jesus.  You and I must all be responsible.  The sin that held him on the cross was ours.  We must fall in with those people who heard Peter on the day of Pentecost “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” (Acts 2 verse 23)  We bear the responsibility of the death of Jesus.  All these people bear some level of responsibility.  Secondary agents.  Isaiah 53 verse 10 “It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.”  Verse 6 “and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  The son was a willing sacrifice.  The Father is sovereign even at the cross.  The suffering servant would take the place of his people, bearing our sins.  The substitutionary death would accomplish our salvation.  It was the Lord’s will to bruise him.  There is no way of beating around this.  The Father’s will was to crush his son and yet this is the testimony of scriptures – Acts 2 verse 23 “Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”  The responsibility on the people for what they have done.  God’s responsibility – he would die.  God did not lose control of events.  This was the plan of salvation – to redeem a people who would be his for eternity.  Sovereign in setting forth his son to be the propitiation for our sins.  There is the same root word found in this verse as in chapter 1. The pronouncing of judgment against Israel for their false worship.  Verse 11 “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”  Delight is the word found in Isaiah 53 verse 10.  It did indeed please the Lord to bruise his son.  He took delight in the suffering of the Messiah. How can this possibly be?  Why would a father take pleasure in bruising or crushing his own son?  Verse 11 tells us “by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”  By crushing the son many would be justified.  Who is that?  You and I today.  We see the great love displayed for us in his substitutionary sacrifice of his son.  We have the great plan of salvation as the Father lays on the son the iniquities of us all.  We see God’s righteousness displayed.  The anger of sin being satisfied fully in his son.  Romans 3 verse 25 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are pat, through the forbearance of God.”

The servant’s success.  Isaiah takes us through 3 different stages – the death, resurrection and return of Christ.  Verse 10 – the success in his death at the cross.  Through the crushing of the Son this would lead him to bring to himself a great number to belief in Jesus.  Jesus did not lose at the cross.  There is much modern music based around this, that Satan won the day at the cross.  That is not true.  Jesus won the victory over sin, the devil and the grave.  Now he lives in the power of an endless life.  The crushing of the Son was the means he shall see his seed.  Many could be made righteous, brought into the family of God.  Brought out of darkness into the marvellous light.  At the cross the servant was crushed and suffering greatly.  This is indeed a successful victorious servant.  Jesus paid it all.  Nothing more to bring to himself.  A nation to himself.  He shall see his seed.  When his soul is made an offering for the guilty.  The cross was not the end of the story.  3 days later he arose.  He had suffered and died for us.  Verse 10 “he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.”  A dead servant will not have his days prolonged.  Isaiah not only saw a suffering servant but a successful servant.  Not hidden in the grave but risen again.  He would rise again and lives never to die again.  The Lord’s purpose was achieved.  In this age Jesus is sitting on the throne.  His purposes are being achieved all over the world today.  Jesus Christ is on the throne today.  He is alive, never to die again.  The pleasure of the Lord prospers in his hand.  The successful servant at the cross, in the empty tomb and one day he will come to rule and reign.  To receive one day the great inheritance achieved at the cross.  Verse 12 “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”  It is interesting that all of the servants success is linked back to what he achieved at the cross.  He will one day come to receive his people as his own.  He will come to bring to himself the many.  Those he justifies Christ will not be disappointed with his inheritance.  There are today 2 billion people in the world who profess to be Christians.  Imagine if those who are truly born again will arise on that day surely Isaiah 53 verse 12 will be fulfilled.  The CSB translation reads “I will give him the many as a portion.”  The portion that this suffering servant will receive will be the many from countless nations – Revelation 7 talks about every tribe, tongue and nation.  Those are Christ’s reward.  What a wonderful day that will be when the sacrificial servant achieves success.  But there will be a greater day – when around the throne a great company will be singing “worthy is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the earth.”  Those from all the corners of the world, with different backgrounds – how can there be division among us?  One day there will be one nation worshipping the Lamb.  The suffering servant of Isaiah 53 will be praised by his people.  Praised for all the countless ages of eternity.  Praised for his substitutionary death on Calvary.  We will worship our successful Saviour.  He lives now never to die again and will rein one day on the earth with his people.

Going Deeper with God

 

LIMAVADY BAPTIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 5 MAY 2024 – MR A DALRYMPLE

PSALM 63

Jonathan Edwards at 17 years of age set down 70 resolutions.  He showed great fervency and determination to really live for God.  When speaking on Psalm 63 verse 1 he said “God is our greatest need, to enjoy him is what we were made for and that is the only thing that our souls can be truly satisfied in.”  We are to desire God himself above any other person or thing, legitimate and precious as they may be.  There is an interesting story behind this psalm.  The introduction states that this Psalm was written when David was in the wilderness of Judah.  Verse 9 tells us “those that seek my soul to destroy it.”  David is a fugitive, on the run at this point.  We may be inclined to think that Saul was seeking to kill him but verse 11 tells us otherwise.  “But the king shall rejoice in God.”  David was not king when he was fleeing Saul but he was when fleeing his son Absalom.  2 Samuel 15 states that Absalom rebelled against his father.  David in turn fled to escape Jerusalem and headed for the wilderness.  This is the experience behind the Psalm.  Notice 3 things in this Psalm – David’s desire, David’s satisfaction and David’s confidence.

David’s desire.  We see this described in verses 1 and 2.  Verse 1 is an expression of any true religious person’s heart.  “O God thou are my God.”  This man clearly had a relationship with God himself.  Can you identify with these words?  Today can you say “O God you are my God?”  Not the God which he is but you are my God.  Intense words that came from a man of God.  He finds himself in an extremely difficult place.  It is interesting that so many say today “come to Jesus and all your problems will go way.”  Really?  Read your bible – is that really the case?  Study church history, examine your own life – is that really the case?  That is not the case, not true for people in the bible.  In this Psalm we have an account of a believer experiencing great difficulties at this point in his life.  He knows all the days of his life are ordained for him, even the uninvited days out in the wilderness.  When David cries out he uses 3 words to describe how he is feeling.  Having been driven from God’s city and the sanctuary where the Ark of the Covenant was, first he uses the word seeking – “early, earnestly I will seek you.”  It literally means he will beat a path to God.  Have you ever noticed that it is the difficult days more than the easy days that put an urgency for us to go to God.  When the sun is shining it is easy to run in the flesh.  To give occasional thanks to God but when there are difficult days you are crying out to God ten times more often that some other days.  Early I will seek you.  I will beat a path to you.  For some of us we can identify with that sentiment right now and for others it might not be long before it is our experience.  Secondly, he talks about thirsting and longing.  We all know thirst, an insatiable longing.  There is no reasoning with it.  There is no forgetting of it when it makes itself known.  It is an essential support for our lives.  David’s desire occupies, dominates his mind.  He longs, thirsts, faints for God.  He feels he will die spiritually if he does not meet with God.  It is important not to miss what David says – for God himself and him alone.  It is not primarily thirst for God’s gifts and blessings.  No he is longing for God himself.  I wonder have you thought to yourself - if I was to be left with nothing in this world how precious would God be to me?  Would he be enough?  David was cast out of Jerusalem and was hiding in the wilderness.  He seeks and longs, thirsts for God.  If you were listening to an orchestra at the Waterfront Hall you would notice a change from here.  This opening verse sounds like a mournful dirge which conveys his deep distress but from verse 2 the music suddenly changes.  It becomes more upbeat.  There is a change in the psalm and in the psalmist.  Something happens between verses 1 and 2.  “So as I have seen once in the sanctuary so too now I see it here in the wilderness.”  David was looking back to a time in the sanctuary when he had a profound experience of God.  Out there in the wilderness he has the same experience.  He meets with God in a special way.  He beholds the power and glory of God.  It affected him back then and it is just the same now in the desert.  Despite the fact he lived in Jerusalem and not there now.  Despite the fact that once he was very secure but maybe now he is nearing the end of his life.  Despite all that he was looking to the Lord seeking, longing, thirsting.  Thirdly he is experiencing God.  Is it not the case that the Christian life is a experiential life.  It is not just about doctrine.  Doctrine comes from the word of God but there is more than that.  It is walking with the God who is the maker of the universe and everything it in.  We have his Spirit living in our hearts.  David is looking back to a time and now he is experiencing it again in the same way or another.  This is David’s desire, his experience.  Is it yours?  Is it mine?  Can you say “my goal is God himself, not joy, nor peace, nor even blessing but himself.  My God it is to lead me there not mine at any cost dear Lord by any road.  David’s desire.

 

David’s satisfaction – verses 3 – 8.  The disaster David finds himself in.  As a result of this vision of God he experiences complete satisfaction and joy.  “Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.”   C H Spurgeon said “Life is dear but God’s love is dearer, to dwell with God is better than life at its best.”  David is now filled with the love of God.  The very thought of this fills him with praise.  Out in the wilderness, in the middle of nowhere with very few friends it seems.   A man who has an authentic personal relationship with God.  He is experiencing God in every day life.    He resolves to live a life of thankfulness, praise and worship.  He is determined to recall all the things he has done for him.  He will lift up his hands as he acknowledges his dependence on God, to open his mouth and praise God with joyful lips.  God’s loving kindness, steadfastness, his love is better than life.  He is experiencing that.  He is deeply satisfying David says.  Do you remember the Lord Jesus himself in John 17 in his high priestly prayer verses 24 – 26 as he prays for us that we might know the love the Father has for him.  Breath taking.  He ensures that he prays there for us.  Do you know you are loved with the same love as the Father has for the Son?  John 17 verse 26.  David is experiencing something of this – the loving kindness of God.  It is so wonderful, better than life itself.  It is deeply satisfying.  In verse 5 he thinks of the royal banquet.  It is a metaphor that only God can deal with the deepest desires of his soul.  Only God can supply the riches.  No-one can deny that there is a God.  Deep down in their soul they know it.  That is why so many chase after things – riches, drink and drugs.  Yet if they are honest they will say like the rock song “I can’t get no satisfaction, I try, try, try.”  David is telling us he has the Lord.  He is so good.  I will glory in my redeemer.  He bought my love.  I have no longing for another.  I am satisfied in him alone.  Many cannot get any satisfaction today.  The bible would encouage you to come to the Lord, confess your sins, believe in christ, follow him as your master, forsaking all others, follow him as your master.  Verses 6 – 8 – how striking these verses are.  What do you think about at night?  Do you review the day?  If someone kicked you out of your home and you were left on the streets what would you think about?  David shares his thoughts about this.  As he lays down his head at night he is thinking – remembering God has been his help in ages past and reminds himself that God rescued him from the mouth of the lion and the paw of the bear and the hand of Goliath.  God helped him the past – he removed the guilt of his sins.  God in his steadfast love has been there.  He has always been there for him.  David is long in the tooth, he can recall a list off, counts the privileges he has.  There is a song in his heart.  Is that what it is doing for you?  Knowing that if you look back on your life God has led you through thick and thin. Because of this David says “my soul followeth after you, my soul clings to you more than others.  Thy right hand upholdeth me.  What enables the believer to follow after the Lord?  Because he upholds us.  When people are going through the most difficult trials and we talk to them through those times they have an amazing strength and faith.  We wonder how they cope with all the things?  They really feel they are upheld by the Lord.  They are experiencing something of what David experienced in the desert.  God granting supernatural strength in the midst of a storm.  Supernatural joy in knowing God is with you.  When God is with you it doesn’t really matter if you are in a storm.  I am not making light of that storm but it doesn’t really matter.  The place of pressure and pain can be the place of pleasure and joy.  You know that if people are in a difficult place they strangely feel that love and joy from God.  You feel that the Lord was upholding you because of his loving kindness in the midst of trial.  You continue to follow him, to cling to him and praise him and find satisfaction in him in your own personal wilderness.  Perhaps this is where you are today or where you might be soon.  God is with you.  He will not forsake you.  Even when the sun is shining or the rain is falling.

David’s confidence – verses 9 – 11.    In the final verses David finds God.  He is given assurance about the future.  Absalom will be defeated.  2 Samuel 18 David’s men fought against Absalom’s army.  They won the great victory.  Absalom’s head became trapped in a tree branch.  Joab thrust 3 spears into his heart as he hung on that tree.  His rebellion came to an end.  David’s heart was broken “but the king shall rejoice in God.”  He received God’s confidence and assurance in the wilderness and when he continued to be king – verse 11 “the mouth of liars were silenced.”  God’s servant was vindicated and he lived to tell the tale.  

The great lesson we can all take from this Psalm applies to believers and non-believers alike.  There are joys to be found in God.  Many people know nothing, many know something and a few know a lot.  I want to take you to a beach where there are many people sitting, standing and watching those around them in the sea. They have no interest in going in.  Others will roll up their trouser legs and paddle in.  They experience the sea, experience it but they don’t want to go in too far.  Others are more enthusiastic.  They run down and dive straight in to the waves.  They swim around and enjoy the sea.  Further out to sea there is a boat.  On it are some deep sea divers.  They are not satisfied patiently swimming around.  They want to dive in and go deep.  There are various people on the beach watching, others are paddling, then others are swimming and diving in while others are out deep sea diving.  God is like the ocean.  Some people unbelievers sit on the beach. They never experience God.  Others paddle while others swim about.  There is so much more to enjoy.  Some believers are always talking about God. They are focused on God.  They are filled with joy. They live to dive in and go deep.  In doing so they are giving themselves to their pursuit.  They experience incredible things in God and with God.  The question is – do you long to go deep with God?  Do you really desire God?  How can we experience this abundant soul satisfying life with God our maker and creator?  Seeking God early.  Thirsting, longing for God.  Beholding the power and glory of God personally.  I believe that if we had only a month to live the important thing to study would be the doctrine of God.  The apostle Paul said “I want to know Christ for myself and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering and resurrection.  Come what may I want to know Christ.  I want to go deep.  Steve Lawson said “this is the focus of Psalm 63.  A person can know more intimately this great and glorious God.”  Our great and glorious God – where is your focus today?  What is our greatest passion, desire?  How deep do we really want to go with God in May 2024?