God Set You Apart For Himself
God is Faithful • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewGod is faithful to David and David trusts God. There exist a safe place in God that believers can enjoy rest, peace, and safety even in hard times
Notes
Transcript
Opening: Churchill, “The sleep of the saved.”
The tight spot would be widen with the
US
Churchill Second World War vol 3 library of congress
Psalm 4:1–8 (ESV)
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Prayer
Division Statements
1. God is Faithful When We Petition Him.
2. God is Faithful to Those Who Stand for
Righteousness.
3. God is Faithful to Give Us Great Joy.
When we practice these things we experience the sleep of the saved.
God is Faithful When We Petition Him. v.1
God is Faithful When We Petition Him. v.1
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
Explanation
David’s prayer was urgent! He is in a tight spot (Distressed).
He is seeking relief from the One who vindicates, or does what is right (v.8)
There is a history with David’s prayer life and God. “you have given” (God!, Do it again!)
He wants God to bring about “an opening that widens.”
Relief, means to make room.
Argumentation
Perhaps you feel a squeeze in your life.
Students: you feel like school is a competition, relationships are always pulling you towards conformity. Then lies and rumors are said and the thought of returning to school the next day makes your heart race, tight feeling in your chess, breathing is hard.
The Culture: Everyday is its own battle in our culture to not be canceled, singled out for some view, opinion, or statement that most the world agrees with but today, the minority voice gets the majority of say. Trying to maintain your values and not have your character smeared adds pressure and we all feel it closing in on us.
Example: Joseph was in a tight spot before Egypt’s right-hand man.
Example: Jesus was pressed in on all sides and then he walked through the crowds.
God gives us an escape from the tightening of our situations
Illustration
[There was young man also named] David who had been extremely anxious for years. It got to the point where his compulsive worrying was ruining his life, so he went to a psychiatrist, who recommended that David hire a professional worrier.
After he’d been working with the specialist for a few months, David’s friend John noticed a change. “What happened?” John asked. “You don’t worry about anything anymore.”
“I hired a professional worrier!” David answered.
“That must cost a fortune,” John said.“Yes, he charges $3,000 a month,” David said sheepishly.
“Three thousand dollars! How can you ever afford to pay him?” John shouted!
David said. “I don’t know, but that’s his problem.”
(Starts at 60.com “daily jokes” January 3 2021, Racheal Rosel)
God is faithful to provide relief from our distress
They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out to a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
You widen a place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.
I called to the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and put me in a spacious place.
I pursue the way of Your commands, for You broaden my understanding.
David knew God sees all things as they are.
He was certain God would
vindicate him,
protect him
and comfort his soul
So He didn’t stress. He let God worry about all that.
Principle: When we know the character and the goodness of God, our prayers become more confident because we know God will cary our burdens so that we don’t have to.
Application: Petition God with hope in your urgencies and He will open a way.
Transition statement:
However in our petitioning we must do what is right!
God is faithful to those who stand for righteousness. v.2-5
God is faithful to those who stand for righteousness. v.2-5
O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.
David was being slandered. Like all rumors they are aimed at person’s character.
It hurts when you are trying to do good and its twisted against you.
David confronts the lies of his adversaries.
For mocking him “we tried that, it failed!”
For “seeking delusions and false gods” (NIV)
David responds (v.3)
You should know, that you are messing with a praying man!
God hears me when I call, can you say that???
I am set apart!
Meaning I am marked out by God.
Illustration: Jews were set apart during the plagues.
But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people are living; no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, Yahweh, am in the land.
But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that the Israelites own will die.”
But against all the Israelites, whether man or beast, not even a dog will snarl, so that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
How will it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight unless You go with us? I and Your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.”
With this confidence, David says “He hears me when I call!! You call yourselves exalted yet couldn’t find God.
I know where to find Him and He is on my side!
Christians are set apart by God and we are heard by God. We should have the same confidence as David.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
No matter how loud culture yells or how tight your distress, you need to know that God sets his children apart and he hears their prayers.
Scripture: (set apart) Rom 8:26-30
In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.
And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers,
height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Listen Believers! Do not forsake the promise God has give you to hear you when you pray.
Something happens in v. 4 that needs to be addressed.
Is Verse 4 for those loyal to David, or his enemies?
H.D. Spence loyalists
Dr. Baker loyalist
Dr. Aiken enemies
John McArthur enemies
Enemies view:
David exhorts them to do what is right.
Stop this unrighteous anger and reflect on God’s righteousness.
Offer what is pleasing to God.
Do so with the right motives.
God is good, turn your face toward Him!
Illustration: We live in an angry culture that hopes to accomplish good through their anger and own understanding.
Our culture screams and yells in opposition hoping that good will come from it.
for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
Mission Moment:
Love our enemies and pray for them is essentially what David is doing.
He is teaching how anger can become sin, and sin robs us of understanding God, and knowing his joy.
Repentance, trust, and right living that’s David’s antidote.
God is faithful to those who stand for righteousness.
Loyalist view:
Don’t undo what God is doing. Be angry but do not sin.
Tremble at the thought of repaying evil for evil. Acknowledge God, and do what is right.
Continue to make sacrifices with the right heart.
Don’t lose heart. God is above you.
Argumentation
When we are hurt by people, we tend to want to see bad things happen to them. Instead, let’s put the matter in God’s hands and see how He deals with it.
Application: In tight spots, we need to let the fear of God lead us to a righteous response.
Meaning: God informs us of right living.
We govern our emotions rightly.
When we stand in awe of God
He can empower your response.
When we leave room for God’s
righteousness.
He fills us with His Joy.
God is faithful to those who stand for righteousness
How is God’s faithfulness measured?
God is Faithful to give us great joy. v.6-8
God is Faithful to give us great joy. v.6-8
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Explanation
David turns to prayer, once again, thanking God for his joy.
After witnessing the lives of others, David began to appreciate his own life more.
He noticed that their happiness was dependent on fleeting moments of prosperity (Harvest and celebrations)
Whereas his own joy was longer-lasting, but also more valuable because it wasn’t tied to any one specific situation.
This led to David to lie down and sleep.
“David had the sleep of the saved.”
V.8 True peace is knowing that you’re at peace with God, and that God is at peace with you.
His peace is the only peace that gives you assurance to lie down and sleep when surrounded on all sides
David’s value, character and reputation was secure with God so he wasn’t troubled by the neigh sayers.
Application:
Peace, security, assurance and great joy doesn't just happen.
David utilized his circumstances to grow in his walk with the Lord.
1. In his hardship, he knew biblical truths of
God (v.3).
2. He prayed and found relief in distress,
which enlarged his trust in God.
3. He knew his worth in God’s eyes as one
set apart & he knew God was for Him.
Like Churchill, David “Slept Like the Saved”
(Worship Team up)
Do you have the sleep of the saved?
God is faithful.
He allows difficult times to be opportunities for your growth.
Don’t allow the enemy to challenge your position with God.
If you are saved, you are set apart and God is for you! The cross is proof of His pursuit
Pursue Him in prayer.
Live in a way that is pleasing to Him
Speak truth to both believers…
Micheal Card: Ba-row-cha
The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face shine upon you
And give you peace
And give you peace
And give you peace forever
The Lord be gracious to unto you
The Lord turn His face towards you
And give you peace
And give you peace
And give you peace forever
When you put your trust in the Lord, He is Faithful
He will keep you,
He will give you relief from your distress,
He will widen your paths to righteousness
He will give you greater joy, that’s eternal
He give you safety that allows you to be at peace, forever.
Prayer: Completely Done