Prayer The Promises

Well, let's just ask the Lord's blessing as we look into His Word and find wisdom. Our Heavenly Father, again, we bow before You in summation to Your will, that Your Word is powerful, Father, of itself, emolds us and shapes us in the likeness of Your Son, our Savior. He calls us out of darkness into his glorious light. We have tasted your goodness and we long as David has to be in your house. but father in the midst of that we have hearts that are prone to wander prone to doubt prone to fear prone to look away from the hope that lies in our very hearts because of christ jesus so teach us by your word give this servant lips to speak your truth in christ's name amen Psalm 27 I'd have you turn there a psalm that we wonder about it entices our senses because David longs to be in the house of the Lord and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord it's a psalm that maybe bring some carnal thinking into our mind if David saw God.

Oh, we want to see God, don't we? I long to look in the face of Christ. David attests to, as we go through this, let's learn from the Scriptures. Psalm 27. The Lord is the light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life and whom shall I be afraid When evil doers assail me to eat up my flesh my adversaries and foes It is they who stumble and fall though an army encamps against me My heart shall not fear the war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I have asked the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble.

He will conceal me under the cover of His tent. He will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me. And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy. I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me.

You have said, seek my face. My heart says to you, your face, Lord, do I seek. Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger. O, you have been my help. Cast me not off.

Forsake me not. O God of my salvation, for my father and my mother have forsaken me. But the Lord will take me in. Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses rise against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart take courage. wait for the Lord the very prayers of David poems some authors have said these were the very prayers of Christ himself we know it's God breathed it gives us a glimpse of God and who God is we know our author David we're familiar with him as a few weeks back we learned about this frail young shepherd boy conquering Goliath against the Philistines.

And it speaks to our own heart as frail as we are. We know this author that he was a man after God own heart It one we listen as he speaks and find strength from because in the midst of it our prayer meetings and our prayer time is lacking because a lot of times our prayer meeting seems like a list for a pain clinic. We lose sight of the very fact that God's glory and his name must be hallowed above all things.

We know in the midst of all the turmoil that David was going through, he had a focus on God. That was his strength and not his frailty. And we desire that as believers. We desire that. He says the Lord is my light, my salvation, whom shall I fear? It's a testament of this calling that he had even before the time of redemption.

It's a time of faith. He saw the promises of God. He saw the law and its condemnation. And he knew that deliverance was in God himself. He says he is my light and my salvation. and as we will talk later how much more we have in Christ just get a glimpse of the heart of this man of God and this confidence he reflects on the privileges and promises of God in this early portion this is his strength I have deliverance in God I'm in him I am a son of the living God.

Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. And whom shall I be afraid? It's a military term. A stronghold. We see it constantly in the Old Testament.

This fortress. You are my fortress. I can't be moved. This is his thanking here. When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversary foes. It is they who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp around us, against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war arise around me, and I will be confident. This confidence and resting not in the things seen And this is really a message we need to hear He's a man of faith. He's reflecting on the promises of God, and who God is, and how we're so affected by things around us. David desired to be with God, and it was his strength. he knew his presence and purpose in life because of God and he goes on to this this declaration of of this desire he has one thing I have asked the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple John Calvin says it it puts too much in our carnal thinking to say David was calling was seeing God in person because of sin there's separation between God and man that their worship place the tabernacle he speaks of here It's a tabernacle where he saw the glory of God.

And the glory of God is God's effect on things. He had his presence there. You know, we exhibit that in our body. But in David's, let's get a mindset of where David was. In the tabernacle where sacrifice is going on. In the promises of that sacrifice.

You think of the deliverance of the people of God out of Egypt. These are things he's reflecting on. Now we have much more. We have a brighter picture, a clear portrait of God's redemption. But here's David. He says, one thing, this one thing I ask.

And he's looking ahead also. His time in the meeting of God, the tabernacle of God, was sweet because he saw the effect. He saw the people of God's bowing and summation. he saw the forgiveness that was in God alone he longed for that and he's looking ahead as we look ahead when we will be of God and we will be his people. I don't think you take any more from that than there is, but it shows the heart of David here.

He desired to be in the house of God, this house appropriate. And you know, David had his desire to build the temple, but God didn't know it would be your son, Solomon. He desired to meet with the people of God. So it shows his desire. and we should find rest in that as we struggle with life and we'll talk about later on what we have in Christ now. He goes on to tell of these promises.

For He will hide me in His shelter in day of trouble. He will conceal me under the cover of His tent. he will lift me high upon a rock and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy I will sing and make melody to the Lord this promise that it's for God's glory David as he these battles he had in life he made this oath to God that you'll deliver my enemies but I will exalt your name. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud.

Here he's responding. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud and be gracious to me and answer me. You have said, seek my face and my heart says to you, your face, Lord, do I seek. This was an old Jewish prayer that the Lord bless you and keep you. May His countenance and His face shine upon you. His whole being.

We have to get God in a box. God's this big. No, His glory is throughout the earth. His radiance of who He is is in all creation. This is his responsibility The Lord says you have said seek my face My heart says to you your face Lord do I seek Hide not your face from me Turn not your servant away in anger. Because David knew that God would show his anger and displeasure for the waywardness of the people of God.

Oh, you have been my help. cast me not off forsake me not oh God of my salvation for my father and my mother have forsaken me but the Lord will take me in this is not a personal account of David it's a it's a comparison of the steadfast love of God in our people around us even the people that we love the most will are not secure in themselves. It's only God and His steadfast love. As a father, I want to be steadfast in my love, but I'm imperfect.

As fathers and mothers, we want to be steadfast in that love, but we're imperfect. Well, God is not like that. God will take me in. it says teach me your way oh Lord and lead me in a level path because of my enemies give me not up to the will of my adversaries for false witnesses have risen against me and they breathe out violence in the latter part of this psalm I believe I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living wait for the Lord and be strong and let your heart take courage wait for the Lord there's a waiting in patience and let's just go back through this psalm and get this this clearer view of our God that's in Christ Jesus is the Lord your light is do you see the darkness in your life?

Are you set apart from Him? Is there no peace? So you hear the call of a Redeemer who says Come to me all who is heavy laden Heavy laden because of what sin has done And as believers, do we understand that this salvation is a process? That we're being called out of this, we've been called out of the pit, but we're in the midst of this transformation. This transformation.

Our call to worship was, do you believe this? And this is what we have to reflect on. Do we believe the promises of God? And are we praying these promises? Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him to the glory and the church in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever.

Amen. Do we believe this? Do we have the peace that goes beyond understanding? Or are you still dead in your transgressions? Separated from God. You've tasted the goodness of God. you've been in our midst I'm speaking to you who have have not taken that step is your will stubborn? yes it is, it's dead because the very words that Paul wrote in Ephesians he says you're dead in your transgressions you're unable to come to God God gives us this promise He's the light your salvation if you confess with your lips and believe in your heart and whom shall i fear you we put this in a new testament framework we don't fear god as we we ought at times this this adoration in all that he so deserves i don't think we distort the scriptures by bringing in light look in hebrews 12 and get this glimpse of the old to the new.

Oh. I in the wrong book that why I just had this this morning, that's why I probably shouldn't have read it. Don't do that. The fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord. Okay. chapter 12 verse 25 see that you do not refuse him who is speaking for if they said they did not escape when he refused him who warned them on earth much less will we escape if we reject him who warns us from heaven at that time his voice shook the earth but now he has promised yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.

This phrase yet once more indicates the removal of things that are shaken. He's talking about creation here. That is things have been made in order that things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken And thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.

If you're still in darkness, you're waiting for judgment. But for us who are in Christ Jesus, we're waiting what David longed to, to be in the house of the Lord, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord. People try to put words to what heaven will be like, and it's almost unspeakable. There's no words, I don't describe it, but we will be with God. And we will be His people. as a church and as we pray and this is the whole aspect of this prayer life of David he longed to worship with the people of God he longed to be in the presence of God in the midst of all this of the turmoil, the adversaries against him, even the anointed of God, Saul, he had a picture of reality that came from knowing God for who he was.

His confidence wasn't in his own thinking. His confidence was in God. Jeremiah 17, I wanted to look at that. Jim, you did a great job of reading Jeremiah 7. I should have sold that. Verse 5, Cursed is the man who trusts in man. who makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.

He is like a shrub in the desert. He shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the places of the wilderness, in uninhabited salt land. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water and sends out his roots by the stream. He does not fear when heat comes.

For its leaves remain green and it's not anxious in the year of drought. It does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things. Desperately sick. Who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind.

I give every man according to his ways. According to the fruit of his deeds. this is the confidence that's written after David's David didn't have all these promises we have promise upon promise and yet we forget and we need to be reminded well how are we reminded by one another by the very word of God as we anticipate meeting with God we anticipate his word for what it is we don't slough it away we know it like a double edged sword piercing our heart that same piercing effect it had when we first saw the glory of Christ is the same thing we must desire week after week after week Lord, keep my heart humble as David. And more importantly, like my Redeemer, who says He'll transform me in the likeness of Himself.

The humility. Oh, people of God. We live in a proud, proud state. Our world is so caught up in themselves. do not let it conform your thinking as Paul said in Romans let's look in Romans 12 don't let your thinking be conformed here's the promises of God I appeal to you Paul says that with great affection, but yet sternness. I appeal to you. Brethren, by the mercies of God, present your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect David knew the importance of the word of God he knew the importance of prayer and I think as we think about David But as a young boy out in the fields and, you know, fighting off wolves and bears, you know, Tim talked about that a few weeks back. And I think of a young boy who learned to have confidence in God early He had nurtured He had been in the habit He knew, as he penned in Psalm 19, that the heavens declare the glory of God. He speak forth his speech night and day.

See, these very things are... Are we blind to them? We see very creation as beautiful and glorious. Open your eyes. Open your eyes to the Word of God. Reflect on the mercies of God.

We can't, you know, in our own thinking, it gets muddled at times. We might think we're pretty good at times. now we we're in this position that David longed for though we have not seen him we know him and we love him our redeemer we love him we have not seen him and we love him but yet we have parts of Thomas in our own thought oh if I could only touch if God would only send a sign our frailty and weaknesses we have to be careful find God in the scriptures he reflect on the privileges and promises two he reflected on God giving the confidence not in himself and in God we can find great strength in that how do we make this I think how do we make our work our vocation what God has put us in as a spiritual worship well he goes on here to how we treat people because those are the things that are unshaken who are we going to lead be used as God who are we going to lead to? Christ.

Because if we bring a New Testament, New Covenant thinking, there's a lot of enemies against the cross. If we speak Christ it offensive And it should be But may it be in lips and hearts and feet and hands that come with what Paul says let your love be genuine. Abhor what is evil. Hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another with showing honor.

Do not be slothful and zeal. Be fervent in the Spirit. Serve the Lord. You're serving the Lord in your vocation. You're honoring as you're speaking and you're loving your neighbor. You're praising God.

Whatever vocation, students, as you go to school, be good students that means humble respecting authorities that's pretty drastic in our day and age is it not? bless those who persecute you bless and do not curse rejoice with those who rejoice weep with those who weep live in harmony with one another but there's always a constant theme is the privilege of prayer. That when we enter into this inner sanctum, if we can call the Holy of Holies of God, that Christ Himself opened up to us, enter into it. I think we need some spiritual imagination to get us moved.

I know it's a battle in my life. I'm convicted as I preach this. I'm not doing it as I ought. I have to constantly ask the Lord forgiveness for not being as faithful. And in Christ, we are renewed day in, day out. We long for tomorrow because the mercies of God are new every morning. prayer is we meet God in prayer the very spirit then dwells us as Paul said Romans 8, they're in tune with God.

And we call the Father who He is, Father. He anticipates us. Wouldn't you say from the Scriptures, He anticipates us coming to this place of summation. with your hurts and your ailments, but being bound with the promises of what we need to be doing. Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy word. Amen. In the latter part of this psalm, there's a waiting. we all must do it.

We wait for prayers to be answered. People to come back to the fold of God. People to be renewed by the Spirit that can only renew them because my words are weak without the word of God. We must speak the promises of God as we go out to the hurting, go out to those who persecute us, who talk against Christ. But we long for that day. We long for the day that David longs here.

I believe I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and wait for the Lord Be strong Let your hearts take courage Wait for the Lord What are we waiting for? Oh, we're waiting for these temporal things, but we should anticipate that day when we'll see him face to face. We see just a glimmer. Of his glory. And it's magnificent. We see just a glimmer.

Of his goodness. And it's magnificent. We see it in the church. By one another loving. And being steadfast in their love. We see it in his providence.

That speaks to us. The mercies of God. Yes in the trouble. And the turmoil. And all the heartache. Of this world. we're waiting we're waiting for that one day in Revelation 19 Hallelujah salvation and glory and power belong to our God for His judgments are true and just for He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality and has avenged her the blood of his servants.

Once more they cried, Hallelujah. The smoke from her goes up forever and ever. And 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who were seated at the throne saying, Amen, Hallelujah. And from the throne came a voice saying praise our God all you his servants you who fear him small and great Then I heard what seemed to be a voice of great multitude like the roar of many waters like the sound of the mighty peals of thunder crying Hallelujah For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and extol and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen bright and pure for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints don't miss that my deeds are only righteous in Jesus Christ I cannot stand before God without His blood purifying me and cleansing my conscience. But it must have effect.

That's what Paul said in Romans. The grace has been given to me. Has the grace been given to you that there's no effect? Then I call you to better service, better prayer life, better looking out for one another. call out to God and ask him where do you want me oh God he'll answer that prayer and again we understand this there is a friend ever waiting to help us to him our sorrow a friend pitied and poor and sick and sorrowful when he was upon the earth a friend who knows the heart of man for he lived 33 years and a man amongst us a friend who can weep with the weepers for he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief A friend who is able to help us For there never was earthly pain he could not cure.

That friend was Jesus Christ. The way to be happy is to be always opening our hearts to him. Oh, that we would all, like that poor Christian who only answered when threatened and punished, I must tell the Lord. Jesus can make those happy who trust in him and call on him. That was from J.C. Ryle.

I call to you again. you and your unbelief come to him come to him who is able I call to us restore us again renew our strength oh Lord renew me may I be a prayer warrior in my lackingness fill your glory up in my life so your name will be praised and hallowed and glorified. That the glory of the Lord will shine in this community and wherever we go. That they will surely say, those are ambassadors for Christ.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for thy word. We thank you for the prayers of David. These psalms, these pieces of His heart that show us the glory of Jesus Christ. Mold and shape us, Father, according to Your great purposes. In Christ's name, Amen.