Sunday, September 30, 2012

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.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

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.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

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!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

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  

Sunday, September 2, 2012

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.”