Sunday 5 May 2024

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?

 

 

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