Sermons
December 31st, 2023 by Pastor Solley123123AM A Divine Guide
Sub. God
Theme: God’s guidance.
Text: Psalm 32:1-11
“A Divine Guide” Psalm 32:1-11
Introduction
The next time we come together, with the exception of the service this evening, it will be a New Year. Many of us can remember the questions and uncertainty that surrounded the New Year as we went from 1999 – 2000. Computers were going to crash, hospitals were going to shut down, planes fall out of the sky, banks were going to fail, the world was going to be plunged into chaos and the rapture would soon follow. Now twenty four years later we see the chaos but are still waiting for the rapture. There were so many questions, so much uncertainty as we went from 1999 – 2000.
To me 2024 holds just as many questions and just as much uncertainty as twenty four years ago. 2024 will be an election year and the results of the last election have all but ruined our nation. Government growing bigger and bigger desires to take away our constitutional guaranteed freedoms. Our government is sending money and aid to godless nations while ignoring Israel our greatest ally robbing our nations of the blessings of God according to His Word. Inflation is out of control, crime is on the rise, open borders are destroying America as we once knew it. The most vile sins are not only accepted and promoted but praised inviting the sure judgment of God. As Jesus said concerning the last days in Matt 24 iniquity is abounding, love has waxed cold and little faith can be found. There are many troubling questions surrounding this New Year. A concerning this level of uncertainty as we are about to begin 2024.
I. Is there hope for you and me as we enter into 2024? That answer is yes for one very good reason, Jesus is bigger than any questions we may have, Jesus is bigger than any problems and trials that we might have in 2024. Jesus is bigger than any question that we might have as a church, bigger than any questions we may have as families, bigger than any questions that we might have as individuals. Jesus is bigger than all our questions, bigger than all our problems, bigger than all of our trials and worries combined. There is hope in Jesus Christ for all of us in 2024.
A. That hope is held in a promise we find in Psalm 32: Ps 32:1-11 Notice verse eight. – Ps 32:8 – Psalm 32 is classified as an instructional Psalm. The word Maschil in the heading of the Psalm means instruction. Psalm 32 is an instructional Psalm.
1. David under inspiration of the Holy Spirit is instructing believers, people who have placed faith and trust in the Lord: Ps 32:1-2 Without doubt David is addressing those who are as we would put it, born again. – Ps 32:1-2
2. The instruction in this Psalm is for the people of God: Ps 32:1-2 This Psalm from verse one through eleven is for the redeemed.
3. And God promises “I will guide thee with mine eye.” Ps 32:8 What a tremendous promise, what a blessed truth.
4. This promise is not just for David or those at that time: If that were true it would not be recorded in the eternal Word of God.
B. God promises those who are born again this morning “I will guide thee with mine eye”: Ps 32:8 That is a promise that you and I need as we enter into 2024. There are questions that we all have as we enter into this New Year, there are so many uncertainties in all of our lives as we enter into this New Year. How many of us have questions about the New Year, how many of us have uncertainties concerning this New Year and what it might hold for us? How many of us need a Divine guide as we enter into this New Year?
B. Here is the answer for what we need in 2024: Ps 32:8 Brothers and sisters in Christ here is the answers to all of our questions and uncertainties for 2024
PROP: Ever born again child of God needs to walk in the promise we are given in Ps 32:8. TS. For without it there is no real hope and all of our questions and uncertainties will remain.
Body
I. If you want trouble in your life, questions you can’t answer, problems that go well beyond your ability to solve, don’t ask for or seek God’s guidance in this New Year: God will not force His guidance upon any of us just as God did not force any of us to be saved. Salvation is offered to all, God’s guidance is offered to all, but God will not force His guidance upon any of us just as God did not force any of us to be saved. Remember that Psalm 32 is an instructional Psalm and is speaking to the born again child of God.
A. David here is in distress: Ps 32:3-4 His sins have been forgiven, there is no guile in David. – Ps 32:2 – That word means deceit. David is an open book before the Lord and yet we find this about David at that time, David is in distress.
1. He had kept silent: Ps 32:3 It is not speaking about his relationship with people, it is speaking of his relationship with God. This is an instructional Psalm not about our walk with men but our walk with God. David had grown silent before God.
2. David’s silence, or not asking for God’s guidance was leading him down a path that he did not want to go: Ps 32:3 The roaring here is a troubled soul, a troubled spirit. David was troubled within and that because David had grown silent before God.
3. God was now dealing with David: Ps 32:4 God was convicting David because David had been ignoring God.
4. It was the desire of God to guide David but David was not seeking God’s guidance: It was leading to trouble in David’s life.
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B. This is the pattern of David’s life: When David sought the guidance of God things went well and when David did not he found himself in verses three and four of our text.
1. In David’s dealing with king Saul David sought the guidance of the Lord: Things went well for David.
2. In numbering Israel David did not seek the guidance of God: Things did not go well for David.
3. That is the patter of David’s life and David was a man after the heart of God: This is an instructional Psalm.
a. When David sought the guidance of God things went well for David.
b. When David was silent, when David did not seek the guidance of God things did not go well.
C. When we fail to seek the guidance of God we are setting ourselves up for problems: Ps 32:3-4 We will be where David was and that is not a good place to be for any of us.
1. None of us are able to make a path for ourselves through this New Year: And for good reason. None of us know what 2024 is going to hold for us. We do not have the ability to see ahead, not even tomorrow.
2. But my God does see what is ahead: God is all knowing and God has foreknowledge, my God knows what is ahead. Do you believe that this morning? – John 16:30 – Do you believe that simple verse? Then I need God’s’s guidance because He knows what is ahead and I do not.
C. If you want trouble in your life, questions you can’t answer, problems that go well beyond your ability to solve, don’t ask for or seek God’s guidance in this New Year: Ps 32:3-4
II. To ignore or fail to seek God’s guidance is sin and leads to more sin: Ps 32:5-6 That is why failing to seek God’s guidance leads to places we would rather not go because failing to seek God’s guidance is sin.
A. David knew it was sin to ignore God and that David needed to repent and get back to God: Ps 32:5 David acknowledges that it was a sin to keep silent before God. – Ps 32:5 David knew it was time to ask God to forgive and restore him, David knew it was time to call out to God. – Ps 32:5-6
B. It is sin when we fail to seek God’s guidance: I do have Scripture upon which to rest this point. – James 4:17 – It is not just the verse, it is the context that proves when we fail to seek God’s guidance it is sin. – James 4:13-17
1. Here is one making plans on his or her own: James 4:13 For the next year they have plans for where they would go, what they would do. Here is one that has made plans of his or her own. We often do the same.
2. God then reveals to them that they are not in control, God is: James 4:14 They had no idea what that next year would hold just as none of us know what 2024 is going to hold for us.
3. God then tells them that God is in control and they need be asking for His guidance and direction: James 4:15 Why not get on their knees and ask God to guide and direct in their lives for the next year? Why not get on our knees before the Lord and ask Him to guide and direct us in the next year.
4. To not do this is sin and will lead to more sin: James 4:16-17 That is the context in which James 4:17 is given and when we know what God wants us to do and ignore that it is sin and sin always leads to more sin.
5. Many never consider the context in which James 4:17 is given but it is sin not to seek God’s guidance: James 4:17
C. We are not horses or mules: Ps 32:9 They need to be harness, bits in the mouth and directed by pain which way to go. A bit in the mouth of a horse or mule turns then because it can hurt them. – Ps 32:9
1. They lack any understanding: Ps 32:9 They can be trained by that is often a response to pain or reward.
2. We are not to be like the horse or mule because we have understanding available to us:
C. To ignore or fail to seek God’s guidance is sin and leads to more sin: Ps 32:5-6 That is why failing to seek God’s guidance leads to places we would rather not go because failing to seek God’s guidance is sin.
III. We need then seek the guidance available to us, seek the guiding all knowing eye of God in our lives: Ps 32:8 The questions we have, the uncertainties we have, the fears and worries we have, can all be taken care of when we seek the guidance available to us.
A. Some who claim salvation may also say they have sought the guidance and direction of God and have found God silent toward them: I have heard that many times over the years, that certain ones had been seeking the will of God, the guidance of God but have found God silent before them. There have been times in my life when I may have said the same. When that seems to be the case, is the problem with God, with His Word or with us? The problem is always with us and there are certain things that must be set in order for us to receive the instruction God has for us, for us to be able to see the guiding eye of God in our lives. – Ps 32:8
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B. The sin of not seeking after the Lord, of not seeking God’s instruction and guidance must be taken out of the way: Ps 32:5-6
ILL. Studies are made on everything today and studies conducted at Cornell University conclude that the average adult makes about 35,000 decisions each day. Think of that number. The average child about 3,000 decision a day and that because adults are making the rest of them for them…That is a large number…
1. In how many of those decisions made each day do you ask for God’s instruction and guidance? Being honest no one here this morning is going to say 35,000 or 25,000 or 15,000 or 5,000 or even 500 or even 100. In how many decisions you make do you ask for God’s instruction and guidance?
2. That illustration was used to make a point: Most of the decisions we make we make without asking God. Would that be true?
a. How many of those decisions does God want to be involved in? All.
b. In how many of those decisions can God give instruction and guidance? All.
3. That verse then comes back to my mind: James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
4. I need to remove the sin of not asking if I want to receive the instruction and guidance of God: We tend to ask God about what we consider big things and take care of the small things on our own. But in how many decisions can God instruct and guide in? All.
5. No wonder the Bible tells us to “Pray without ceasing”: We can if we choose involve e God in ev ery decision that we make.
a. David asked God to guide in the words he would say. Ps 141:3
b. David asked God to guide in the things he would look at. Ps 101:3
c. David asked God to guide in his thoughts. Ps 139:23
d. David began to ask God about everything.
6. God does want us to ask Him about the big things: In those we know we need God’s instruction and guidance.
7. But God also wants us to ask abut the little things: In those we as well need God’s instruction and guidance.
8. The sin of not seeking after the Lord, of not seeking God’s instruction and guidance must be taken out of the way: Ps 32:5-6
C. We must ask God for a teachable spirit: Ps 32:8 One will not receive instruction and act upon that instruction unless they have a teachable spirit.
1. We all have an idea of how we want things to go in our lives, in this new year: But our ideas are not always the best. – Prov 14:12 That verse is repeated in Proverbs 16. What does that tell me about my ideas?
2. There is one who ways are higher than my ways: Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. What does that tell me about God’s ways, God’s ideas? They are the better way.
3. I then am the one who needs to be taught, to have a teachable spirit: When Job question God, God had a response for Job. Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
4. If I am not teachable, if you are not teachable God cannot instruct us and God cannot guide us: Ps 32:8 At times when going in a wrong direction we would rather keep going the wrong way instead of confessing we were wrong and changing directions.
ILL. All the time now you see in cars the GPS on the phone in front of the driver constantly giving directions and what e are drivers doing? Exactly what that GPS says…Why not do that with the Lord Jesus Christ?…
D. There must be a nearness to God: We know God is always near to us. On our part there must be a nearness to God.
1. The plea of Jesus is that we abide with Him: John 15:4-10 Eight times Jesus uses the word abide in these few verses. It means to get close to and then stay in that place. 118 times that Greek word is found in the New Testament. It is also translated dwelleth, endure, and continue.
2. I get the idea that we are to be close to the Lord Jesus Christ: That come with three important things at the forefront. Other things as well but these three are vital if we want to be abiding with Christ.
a. A daily time in His Word.
b. A daily time shut up in the closet of prayer.
c. Obedience to the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit of God and the Spirit never leads contrary to the Word of God.
3. There must be a nearness to God:
E. We need then seek the guidance available to us, seek the guiding all knowing eye of God in our lives: Ps 32:8 The questions we have, the uncertainties we have, the fears and worries we have, can all be taken care of when we seek the guidance available to us.
IV. What we receive when we allow God to instruct and guide us with His eye: Ps 32:10-11 What do we receive when we determine to allow God to instruct and guide us.
A. The promise of walking in mercy and not in sorrow: Ps 32:10 It does not say sorrow will not touch us. We live in a world of sorrows and we will all at one time or another be touched by sorrow.
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1. But it will be different than the sorrows of the wicked: Ps 32:10 People who are lost, people who do not have the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives are often overcome by the sorrows of life. They turn to many things to try and escape the sorrows of life.
a. Alcohol and drugs but when they sober up the sorrows are still there.
b. Worldly counselors and prescription drugs. But the sorrows are still there.
c. Many so deep in depression they cannot function.
d. And many commit suicide.
2. But the believers sorrows are tempered by the mercy of God: Ps 32:10 We have a helping hand, a compassionate hand, a loving hand laid upon us that will temper all of our sorrow.
3. We do not sorrow without hope: We have the mercy of God upon us when we follow His instruction and guiding eye. – Ps 32:10
B. We are promised as well the joy of the Lord: Ps 32:11 We can be glad in the Lord and rejoice in all things when we follow His instruction and are guided by Him.
1. This is joy that is not destroyed by sorrow:
2. This is joy that is founded in Jesus Christ:
3. This is joy that only those following after the Lord can truly know:
C. What we receive when we allow God to instruct and guide us with His eye: Ps 32:10-11 Mercy and joy.
Conclusion
What can we say after looking at this instructional Psalm?
I. If you want trouble in your life, questions you can’t answer, problems that go well beyond your ability to solve, don’t ask for or seek God’s guidance in this New Year: God will not force His guidance upon any of us just as God did not force any of us to be saved. Salvation is offered to all, God’s guidance is offered to all, but God will not force His guidance upon any of us just as God did not force any of us to be saved. Remember that Psalm 32 is an instructional Psalm and is speaking to the born again child of God.
II. To ignore or fail to seek God’s guidance is sin and leads to more sin: Ps 32:5-6 That is why failing to seek God’s guidance leads to places we would rather not go because failing to seek God’s guidance is sin.
III. We need then seek the guidance available to us, seek the guiding all knowing eye of God in our lives: Ps 32:8 The questions we have, the uncertainties we have, the fears and worries we have, can all be taken care of when we seek the guidance available to us.
A. The sin of not seeking after the Lord, of not seeking God’s instruction and guidance must be taken out of the way: Ps 32:5-6
B. We must ask God for a teachable spirit: Ps 32:8 One will not receive instruction and act upon that instruction unless they have a teachable spirit.
C. There must be a nearness to God: We know God is always near to us. On our part there must be a nearness to God.
IV. What we receive when we allow God to instruct and guide us with His eye: Ps 32:10-11 What do we receive when we determine to allow God to instruct and guide us.
A. Mercy in times of sorrow:
B. The joy of the Lord: