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Psalm 40:1-8
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. Last week we learned God’s decree that all Christians are to give. The first step in giving is to give our entire beings to God so He is free to make us into the image of Christ. Today we are going to look at the desire to give. I find grace to be one of the most amazing things God shares with us. Nothing about grace is demanding, and nothing about grace takes for itself. What does grace have to do with the desire to give? Everything! Every facet of grace is saturated by desire, never by demand. Demand is Law! David is one of the best examples of a man with a desire to give to God, and others, so let’s let him help us answer the question!
- GOD’S MINISTRY 1-6. It is important to notice that this Psalm begins by revealing why and how God was able to minister to David. *If you want to learn how to receive God’s most abundant blessing then do as David did and “wait patiently for the Lord.” The 2nd and 3rd words of this psalm are 2 words we don’t like to hear because we live in an instant society and culture. The picture here is like a thoroughbred race horse in the gate! Did you ever see one just stand there half asleep not caring if the gate opened or not? No! Those horses are anxious, jittering, and snorting! They know that gate is going to spring open and they will unleash all their power and accelerate to full throttle as hard and fast as they can! They want to run! Now, could that same picture be used to define you as you wait on the Lord to minister to you? Are you so excited and eager to find out what God’s amazing grace has in store for you next that you just can’t stand it until He reveals it?The other 21st Century problem with the way David waited on God was that David waited patiently! Wait was the action David took in regards to God’s work in David’s life, and patiently was how David waited on God. David didn’t care how long it took, He was willing, in his heart, to wait on God, as Paul told the Philippians, “Who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” David wanted/desired God’s work, God’s way in his life. Is that the desire of your heart? If you want to be on the same page as God it must be!
- DAVID’S MESSAGE 4-5. David responds to God’s great goodness toward him by telling us what does not please God, then what goes straight to God’s heart as a sweet smelling savor! The wrong approach to God’s goodness. V. 6 Read 6a. God does not delight in performed rituals—no matter what they are, or what purpose the giver intends in giving them! Now look at the right way to view the relationship between you as God’s adopted child and Your Redeemer. David recognizes and teaches us that God does delight in and expect from each of His children personal responsibility exhibited in a desire to obey God! So the question is simple: do you find your greatest delight in giving to God not 10% of what you have to give, but giving Him 100% of you? This will help you answer that question: why would you not give all to Him Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
