Luke 2:8-20

Luke 2:8-20 Joy and Peace

It is difficult to talk about Joy and Peace and make sense of Sandy Hook. A town of 27,000, three times the size of Marinette. They did everything they could, with locked doors and a security system, and yet peace was taken from them. We live in a world of violence, violent games, violent shows, and music. Even our political parties have gone from disagreement to hate. In our stores we can buy weapons of war, and we can find bomb recipes on the internet. Yet the angels sang about Joy and Peace. I will try to make some sense of it all.

 

1. Violence, sin and evil are the norm.

            A. Genesis 3 tells us we live in a fallen world, Genesis 6:5-6 every inclination.

            B. Romans 1:29-31 filled with every kind of evil.

            C. Some even think we are living in the end times Rev 6:4

            D. The truth is, violence, sin, and evil are the norm, without God.

 

2. And the angel said Good News

            A. Good News of Great Joy for all the people

            B. a Savior is born

            C. who needs a savior? The lost, those in peril.

            d. to men, on whom his favor rest, or to men on whom his favor rest.

            e. yet the only pockets of peace found in the world are where people

 

3. Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth but peace on earth.

            A.  John 14:27

            B. John 16:33

 

Conclusion:  The peace we receive from Jesus does not stop the tribulation of the world but it transcends it. In the midst of the tribulations of life both great and small, we can find peace, and Joy, because Jesus has overcome the world. We get glimpses and experience part of that peace now, on earth, but it will only truly be experienced in the place that Jesus has prepared for us, in heaven.

            So today, we thank God for the peace we do experience; it is a gift from God. We pray for those whom peace is shattered. Let each one of us examine our hearts and make sure we have ask Jesus for forgiveness, so we will have peace through the tribulation of this world and experience God’s perfect peace when we see Him face to face.

Isiaha 42

Isaiah 42:1-9

The Coming Servant

INTRODUCTION: I love Christmas, all the lights and decorations. Manger scenes with Baby Jesus. People seem a little more open to faith. I guess a Baby in a manger is more approachable than the all powerful King of heaven and earth. This is of course the Prophets Sunday of Advent. There are many prophecies about Jesus, when he would come, why he would come and what he would do. This prophesy was given 800 years before Jesus would be born. This plan of salvation was known about 800 years before Jesus was born to carry it out. And Jesus died on the cross 2000 years before you drew your first breath.

1. Gods Servant

            a. here is My servant- God’s servant

            b. Jesus did not come to serve you, he came to save you.

            c. Matthew 3:17 “Listen to Him”

            d. Jesus came because it was God’s desire, and purpose to save you.

            e. James and Dan were crossing a river, at twelve years old James had crossed this river many times and was an exhalant swimmer, Don, well not so much. Crossing the river it grew to be about chest high, with a good current moving them down stream with each step. Dan stepped into a hole and lost his feet. James went to the rescue. In his panic Dan grabbed at James and now both are in trouble. James starts beating on and wrestling with Dan until he got behind him grabbed his color and held his head above the water. James yells at a still struggling Dan. “I am trying to save you, would just cooperate”

            f. God only needs your cooperation.

 2. What is God’s servant doing

            a. To bring justice, right wrongs, judge sin,

            b. he will not stop.

            c. in terminator, kyle tells Sarah, he has been sent to kill you, programmed to kill you, he is a machine, he cannot be reasoned with, he cannot be bought, he will never stop searching for you he will never stop until you are dead.

            d. God declares His servant will never stop until justice is achieved.

 3. Part of Justice is grace

            While Jesus came to bring justice and to save people of faith, he came looking for five groups of people specifically.

            a. The smoldering wick (3)

            b. the bruised reed (3)

            c. the blind (7)

            d. captives from prison (7)

            e. those in dungeons of darkness (7)

 Conclusion: We all fall into one of these at some point; our faith is but a smoldering wick as we sit in a doctor’s office. We are a bruised reed as our job is downsized or we try to balance our checkbook, or learn of a nasty piece of gossip that is being spread about us. Blind to the love of God, seemingly a captive to our mistakes of the past, or our own limited ideas of what faith is all about. All alone in the cold darkness of life. This passage tells us that we are the people Jesus came looking for. This is God’s purpose, and He is God’s servant, and He will never stop trying to save you. Jesus is trying to save you, would you just cooperate?

psalm 136

Psalm 136:1-12

INTRODUCTION: We are nearing the end of psalms. This psalm is written for use in worship with a leaders singing the first part and then the congregation would sing the refrain.  It is divided into sections; vs. 1-4 are praise to God, vs. 5-9 tell of creation, vs. 10-15 tell of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and vs. 16-22 tells of God’s giving the land to the Israelites, and the final vs. 23-26 speaks of what God is presently doing. All through it like an ancient praise song it repeats “His Love endures forever”.

 

1. GOD CREATED AND SUSTAINS US

            A. YOUR EYE

            a. IT TRANSFORMS LIGHT INTO IMAGES OF THE WORLD FOR YOUR BRAIN TO PROCESS

            B. THE WATER CYCLE, LAKE-RIVER-VAPOR-SNOW AND RAIN-FILTERING WATER

            c. GOD CREATED YOU

 

2. GOD DELIVERS US

            A. GOD DELIVERED ISRAEL

            B. WE LIVE IN BONDAGE, FROM RULER TO TASKMASTER,

            C. JESUS CAME TO DELIVER US

 

 

3. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER

            A. A FOREVER PERSPECTIVE

            B. WHY THIS AND WHY NOT THAT

            C. OUR CHILDRENS ANSWERS “WHERE DID JIMMY COME FROM”

            D. GOD’S LOVE IS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD UNTILL WE TAKE THE ETERANL

            E. JESUS DOES NOT JUST LOVE US TODAY

            F. JESUS DOES NOT JUST SAVE US TODAY

 

CONCLUSION: IN A WORLD FULL OF SOMETIMES JESUS LOVES US FOR ALL TIME

In a world of things that will last and people who will come and go in our lives Jesus is forever in your life. The Israelites repeated it over and over and never got it. His love endures forever. Do you want that forever love? Ask God for it, and then ask Him to show you how to live in it, experience it every day. You can know that “His love endures forever”.

Psalm 93

Psalm 93

Let’s take a trip this morning in your mind. You can close your eyes if you wish. We are on a jagged sea coast in Maine.  I front of us are two people. Susan sits on old boat seat cushion reading her Bible and having lunch. The jagged rocks jutted out into angry Atlantic Ocean with defiance. She is safe from the spray as huge waves exploded on the rock tossing the spray high into the air to dance in the sun like diamonds. Off to her right an ancient blow hole sends rockets of spray and water into the air as every wave approached. This little piece of rock in Maine is her special spot. Her father brought her here as a little girl about the same age as her granddaughter Rachael who sits beside her now. This special spot had been handed down through her family since 1685, when her great to whatever power grandfather; John came here, 90 years before the Revolutionary war. Now Susan over 300 years later, on this beautiful June day in 2012, shares this spot with Rachael. The rock perch they sit on and the rocky point in front of them has been through storms of all kinds and has not softened its jagged edges one bit. The same cannot be said of the little beach half a mile down the coast from here. There the sand runs out to sea with each wave and then off a shelf into the deep waters. The town brings sand in by the truck load to rebuild it every summer. But Susan’s spot has not changed much in a thousand years and will remain the same for a thousand more. Susan opens her Bible and shares Psalm 93 with Rachael. Susan can picture the writer of this psalm sitting near Joppa on the Mediterranean, like she is now.

READ PSALM 93

I do not know where the writer of this psalm was but it does make more sense if he or she were sitting by the Mediterranean.

 

1. The Lord reigns

            A. read vs. 1&2

            B. We question leaders and authority

            C. news anchors, political analyst, and voters are called to judge a person they do not know on the performance of a job they know nothing about.

            D. At times we forget that God is not up for evaluation or election. His power and rule are not subject to opinion polls, votes, tweets or His number of Facebook friends.

            E. the waves of people, time, civilizations, countries, and world events crash against the shore, and yet God remains unchanged.

F. From everlasting to everlasting.  Psalm 90:2

G. “I AM”

 

2. The beach

            A. The beach is made up of the sand of opinion, culture, laws, trends and values.

            B. warm, sunny at times, inviting and pleasing to our senses, yet it cannot be trusted.

            B. it is ever changing , shifting and washing away with the waves and tide. Only to be replaced by another temporary thing.

            C. For good or evil public values change, acceptance and rejection of others swings like a pendulum of some giant clock.

 

3. The rock stands firm

            A. in the end the writer knows that His God is (read  Vs 4&5)

            B. Jesus told his disciples in Luke 6:47.

 

^{Lk 6:47} I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. ^w   

^{Lk 6:48} He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  

^{Lk 6:49} But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

 

Build your life on the rock, placed by God 2000 years ago, share it with your children and grandchildren. In the shifting and fleeting sands of life there is Rock of God that is from everlasting to everlasting.

Psalm 84:1-8 Yearning for God

Psalm 84:1-8  Yearning for God

            Almost everyone has a funny story of their child eating something, grass, dirt, an onion left on a counter. They are looking for food and sampling everything in sight. That’s why we put those locks on our cupboards. The Bible tells us that there is a yearning at the heart of every human heart. In this psalm we find it expressed.

 1. Yearning for God

            A. His soul yearns for even faints to be with God
            B. His heart and flesh cry out for God
            C. Job 19:22-27, Isa 26:9,
           D. Jesus uses Hunger Mat 5:6
           E. John 4:14

2. The missing part
            A. in the garden
            B. walk and talk with God, the relationship
            C. People seem aware there is something missing
            D. Sex, drugs, music, popularity and fame, money, power
            E. People are so focused on the void that they see Jesus

3. Filling the void

            A. Jesus is the only one who can fill that void
            B. Jesus said all who come to Him will never thirst or hunger
            C. When we focus on Jesus, talk and walk with Him the void is filled
            D. God wants to be yearned for, thirsted for, Hungered and sought after.
            E. You never say you love me.

Conclusion: Perhaps you have never ask Jesus to fill that void, you can today, simply ask.  Perhaps you have been a Christ follower for a long time, but have forgotten to desire that time and relationship with Jesus. Maybe you have forgotten to take the walk with Him each day in the garden. Every day yearn for that walk in the Garden, to know the presence of God. Seek Jesus with yearning, hunger and thirst and you will be filled. Hear these words from Rev 7:15-17

^{Rev 7:15} Therefore, “they are before the throne of God  and serve him  day and night in his temple;  and he who sits on the throne  will spread his tent over them.  

^{Rev 7:16} Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. ^s  The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.  

^{Rev 7:17} For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ^u  he will lead them to springs of living water. ^v  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  

Psalm 72 “Prayers for the King”

Psalm 72 “Prayers for the King”

 

INTRODUCTION: We are in the middle of election time. Political adds come on during every show on your TV, there are mailers, phone calls and even the news degenerates into a political circus. You may have strong feelings for one person over another; I would feel better about voting if I did. Then I come to Psalm 72. It has been a long time since I picked this psalm and I was not thinking it would convict me as it has. This psalm has something for all of us to consider.

 

1. A prayer for the king

            A. This is a prayer for Solomon

            B. do we pray for our leaders, president, governor, representatives, even or session?

            C. We criticize, berate, point out their flaws even pray for new ones.

            D. This psalm convicts me, for no matter who wins, they will need prayer.

            E. not prayer that their ideas and plans succeed, but prayer that God will use them.

 

2. Prayers for our leaders

            A. Pray for their salvation

            b. read every verse of Psalm 72

 

3. Pray now

            A. that God’s person would be elected

            B. once elected that that person would become the leader God wants

            C. Our country is in to bad of shape for us to pray against our leaders we need to pray for them.

            D. not that they accomplish their own plans but that they accomplish God’s plan.
 

Perhaps when we start praying for our leaders, to be God’s leaders, they will make wiser choices, and God will use them to heal our land.

Psalm 72:1-19 (NIV2011) ¹ Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
² May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.
³ May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.
⁴ May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.
⁵ May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.
⁶ May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
⁷ In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
⁸ May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
⁹ May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust.
¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts.
¹¹ May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
¹³ He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
¹⁴ He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
¹⁵ Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.
¹⁶ May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field.
¹⁷ May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.
¹⁸ Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
¹⁹ Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 63:1-6 “Praise and Worship”

Psalm 63:1-6 “Praise and Worship”

 

Introduction: Jill was about a week away from her rotation to lead worship at Hillsong church, they would be recording a new song written by her friend Brooke. Suddenly she went into premature labor and her first child died. The time came for her to lead worship and sing. She got up on stage and sang.

 

This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

 

The desert of life comes to us in many places and times in life and this psalm is a song of praise and worship in the midst of such a time. It is broken up into 5 sections. The first section tells how David feels and in truth is. The second is about where he has been with God, in the sanctuary. The third is what he will do now. The forth is the victory that God will bring. The fifth is what his response will be. In this psalm we find the art of praise and worship.

 

1. in the desert

            a. David is actually in the desert, on the run for his life from his son.

            b. read vs 1

            c. David hungers and thirst for God

            d. True praise and worship starts with a desire to experience the presence of God.

            e. not just in the sanctuary but in the midst of life when we feel broken and dry.

            f. Some say being broken in life is unspiritual

            g. being broken often is the first step to experiencing the presence and love of God.

 

2. in the sanctuary

            a. read vs 2-5

            b. He tells God how he has seen God and where.

            c. how he felt the presence of God in the sanctuary

            d. our experience of God in the sanctuary

 

3. what he will do now

            a. he will trust during the long watches of the night.

            b. when things are keeping you up at night

            c. He sings in the shadow of God’s wings

            d. His soul clings to God.

            e. like the arms of a loved one wrapped around you. Your safe, nothing can hurt you tonight. Cry if you need to let it all out for I have you.

 

Conclusion: The end of Jill’s song says.

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

True praise and worship starts with a hunger and thirst for God, to have Jesus wrapped around us like a spiritual blanket that renews our spirit, heals our hearts and warms our souls.

Psalm 51:1-13 “The Way to Verse 13”

Psalm 51:1-13 “The Way to Verse 13”

 

INTRODUCTION: Jesus told His disciples and us, through them, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:8.  The meaning of the word Evangelical is to help people come to know Jesus.  David had the same desire in his heart, which we find in verse 13.

All people who truly believe what the Bible says about heaven and hell, want to tell someone about Jesus. A neighbor, a family member, a spouse, coworker, or a fellow student.  But how? How do you get the right? What empowers the things you will say? Verse 13 starts with the word “then” denoting a conditional clause, something that only happens after the things that precede it. To reach verse 13 we must experience vs. 1-12.

 

1. FAITH IN THE FORGIVING NATURE OF GOD

            A. VS. 1&2 DAVID PROCLAIMS GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS

            B. WE MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD’S DESIRE IS TO FORGIVE NO PUNISH

            C. MATTHEW 18:14, LUKE  15:7, LUKE 19:10, 2 PETER 3:9

            D. JESUS DID NOT COME TO BEAT YOU UP

            E. STARTING WITH YOURSELF AND EVERY OTHER PERSON ON EARTH.

2. OWNING UP

            A. DAVID ACKNOWLEDGED HIS SIN

            B. WRITE A SONG ABOUT YOUR SIN AND HAVE IT SUNG IN THE TEMPLE

            C. VS. 3

            D. VS. 4 SIN IS A GOD THING, GOD DEFINED IT, GOD PUNISHES IT.

            E. IT IS NO BASED ON SOCIAL NORMS, OR POPULAR OPINION.

            F. VS 6 GOD DESIRES TRUTH IN RELATIONSHIP.

3. THEN YOU WILL TEACH

            A. MATTHEW 7:3-5

            B. LUKE 6:39

            C. NOW YOU CAN LIVE VS 13

CONCLUSION: Do you believe people are lost? Do you want them to be found? Then you need to get honest with God. He knows it already, He is just waiting for you to own up, and be honest.

Sing with me vs 10-12

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence o Lord and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Cast me not away from your presence o Lord and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Now put it together

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence o Lord and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Now go tell your world!

Psalm 41:5-9 Pictures of Jesus

Psalm 41:5-9 Pictures of Jesus

Ethan kaufman, Dale Tobison, Christopher G, The Bauer family, herrel family, Jerry ries family

Psalm 41:5-9

We have learned that the Psalms are songs, prayers, and readings to be used by the congregation. Some of them ask for deliverance, others healing, some proclaim trust and others commitment to follow God. Some are confessions. Now we will see that in the midst of talking about one thing God reveals the life of Jesus. Not the Jesus the Jews pictured or wanted, but the Jesus they needed.

 1. pictures of Jesus

            a. vs 5  and luke 23:35&36
            b. vs 6 and Matthew 22:15,23,34&35
            c. 41:7&8 and Mathew 12:24   Matthew 12:14
            d. 41:9 and Matthew 26:23

2.The Jesus they wanted

            a. powerful king to defeat Rome
            b. Someone to restore the power of Israel
            c. Someone who would deliver from famine, disease, taxes and give them prosperity
            d. some one who would restore their faith

3. the Jesus we need

            a. the Jesus who forgives our sin vs 4
            b. vs 12 Jesus who’s plan is not to deliver you for just a moment, but to deliver you for eternity.
            c. not a jesus who is king for a time but Jesus who is king for all time vs 13.
            d. This is the Jesus they needed
            e. this is the Jesus you need

 conclusion: Jesus came to save not just from the sin you know but also from the bondage and brokenness you don’t know about. It is only through years of walking with Jesus that we can look back and see how He saved us when we never even saw that we were lost or in danger or in need.  Ask Jesus to forgive you, to guide you through this life. Then you can say.

 

 

^{Ps 41:10} But you, O LORD, have mercy ^x  on me; raise me up, ^y  that I may repay ^z  them.

^{Ps 41:11} I know that you are pleased with me, ^a  for my enemy does not triumph over me. ^b  

^{Ps 41:12} In my integrity ^c  you uphold me ^d  and set me in your presence forever. ^e  

^{Ps 41:13} Praise ^f  be to the LORD, the God of Israel, ^g  from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. ^h  

Psalm 32 “A Call To Confession”

Psalm 32  “A Call To Confession”

 

Early in my ministry a woman stopped me after church with a question. When she was in high School she stole her friend’s boy friend, NOW SHE WANTS TO GIVE HIM BACK. No her question was that it had bothered her. Should she go and confess to her friend what she had done? Yes with prayer, fasting, humbleness and a good setup. Her lack of being honest with her friend, with God and with herself was tearing her apart. This is the story of what David experienced through confession. We of course do not practice confession to the minister or priest like Catholics do, because they cannot absolve sins. Yet we often do not practice confession at all.

 

1. WHEN DAVID KEPT SILENT

            A. WAS NOT HONEST WITH GOD

                        A. THE ADULTERY HE COMMITTED

                        B. THE MURDER TO COVER IT UP

            B. HIS GUILT WAS TEARING HIM APART

                        A. BONES WASTED AWAY – COULD NOT EAT

                        B. GROANING ALL DAY LONG

                        C. THE HEAVINESS OF GUILT LIKE A WEIGHT

            C. THEN NATHAN CONFRONTS DAVID, 2 SAM 12

                        A. HE DOES NOT CONFESS TO NATHAN

                        B. HE GOES TO THE TEMPLE AND CONFESSES TO GOD

2. WHEN DAVID CONFESSED VS5

            A. GOD FORGAVE HIS SIN

            B. GOD REMOVED THE GUILT

            C.         A. VS. 1 TRANSGRESSIONS ARE FORGIVEN

                        B. SINS ARE COVERED

                        C. NOT COUNTED AGAINST HIM

            D. 1 JOHN 1:8&9 BEING HONEST WITH GOD AND OUR SELVES

            E. JAMES 5:13 – 16 CONFESSION TO OTHERS

            F. MARK 1:4  BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR FORGIVENESS

3. THE BLESSED MAN OR WOMAN

            A. FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND SHAME

            B. PROTECTION FROM GOD

            C. HEALING FROM GOD

            D. VS 8 “YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE, YOU FILL MY HEART…

            E. SONGS OF DELIVERANCE

            F. VS. 8. GOD WILL GUIDE AND INSTRUCT

 

Conclusion: In the garden we started hiding from God, and the effects of guilt and shame tear at the human heart to this day. It’s time to stop hiding, pretending. It’s time to get honest with God. If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”

Psalm 23

Psalm 23

This is one of the most well known parts of the Bible. Even people who know nothing of the Bible know this Psalm. It is read in time of distress and need, it’s read at funerals. Yet there things we generally miss when looking at it.

Shepherding was important to Israel and of God revealed things by talking about shepherds.  Some of the great passages about them are; Isaiah 40:11, Ezek 34:1-31 and John 10:1-18. The angels of heaven are sent to shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus and not to kings. 

 

1. the Lord is my shepherd

            A. it is the writer not God who states this

            B. My shepherd,

                        a. a choice has been made to be one of Gods sheep

                        b. there are other shepherds that people follow

                        c. political parties, TV and radio personalities, the stock market

                        d. famous personalities, philosophy, science, even family

                        e. whatever you follow is your shepherd.

 

2. I shall not be in want

            A. a statement of trust and a statement of acceptance

            B. Not only will God provide all I need but what God provides is all I need

            C. Paul tells us in Phil 4:11-12

 

3. He makes me

            A. a statement of submission to God

            B. follow through green pastures, beside quite waters, in righteousness

            C. through the valley of the shadow of death

            D. prepare a table in the presence of my enemies

            E. you are with me

            F. Matthew 1:20  “Immanuel, God with us.”

 

4. the rod and staff

            a. Tools used to lead and guide.

            b. comfort in the discipline of God.

 

Because of this relationship, choosing to be God’s sheep, goodness and mercy will follow you and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  But it all starts with choosing who your shepherd will be. Whatever you follow in life, whatever you base your decisions on, that is your shepherd. We are all sheep the only question is who will your shepherd be?

Psalm 12:1-8 "Faith in the Face of "

Psalm 12:1-8

Faith in the Face of

            The desert is hot and the sun blinding but the parched and dying man sees water just ahead.  He laughs, he cries out in joy, he even turns his stumbling into a sort of dance.  He cries I’ve made it to water, it’s just ahead, I see it.  Yet it cruelly stays just ahead and he finally crashes to the ground.

            From corporate CEOs to over extended home owners, people who seem to have made it, suddenly find they have no water and their dreams are sand.

            David, who writes this Psalm is using his faith and what he knows is true to deal with the mirage of life in the world.

1. The mirage of life

            A. all the faithful are gone, “Vanished” from the human race.

            B. they all speak lying and deceitful tongues.

            C. boastful tongues, flattering lips, they are above God.

            D. the wicked strut around and things that are vile are honored by men.

2. David reminds himself of the promises of God.

            a. God will protect us.

            b. God hears us.

            c. God’s word is true and pure like silver and gold

            d. David has faith not in what he can see but in spite of it.

3. Living in faith

            a. God wants people of faith.

            b. Hebrews 11:1,  2 Cor 2:18.

            C. focus on the reality of God’s love and not the mirage of life.

            E. encourage those around you not to give up walking in faith.

Conclusion: Soon enough the world will find out that it has been drinking the sand.  Soon enough their failure to trust in Jesus will crash down upon them.  But you know that this world is a fake one, temporary one, and the real eternal world is going to last.  By faith you can start living in that world today, just as David did.