The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. It is a stunningly bold statement that we are all too familiar with. As we close the books on 24 and start again in 25, I can't think of a better truth to root us in individually and collectively as a church. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Christmas Story
TEXT: Psalm 23:1
TITLE:  An Audacious New Year’s Reality
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. The Majesty of My Shepherd
2. The Intimacy of My Shepherd
3. The Sufficiency of My Shepherd

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Someone said about Psalm 23:1—Our familiarity with these words may rob us of their audacity. It is one thing to speak of God as Rock, King, Creator, Holy One, and Shelter, but Shepherd!? No image is so touching as the image of shepherd. As shepherd, the Lord must identify with His flock; as shepherd, the Lord must always be near His flock; as shepherd, the Lord must fight for His flock; as shepherd, the Lord must be willing to die for his flock. This image David uses of God is among the loveliest in the Bible to describe the tender and compassionate care that God gives to His people.”

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. It is a stunningly bold statement that we are all too familiar with. As we close the books on 24 and start again in 25, I can't think of a better truth to root us in individually and collectively as a church. My prayer on this last Sunday of the year is simple:  We will leave here looking back on 24, freshly aware and grateful for all the goodness of our Shepherd, and look forward to 25 with a fullness of hope, knowing our Shepherd will be with us every step of the way.”

“From the outset, David distinguishes his shepherd as no ordinary shepherd—The LORD is my shepherd. Notice the word LORD in all caps. David is using the covenant name of God—Yahweh. It's the name God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3 at the burning bush. It was a fire in the bush that did not consume the bush, showing that the fire needed no source. The bush was a vivid illustration of God's being. He is profoundly mysterious. He needs nothing. He is independent of everything. He is self-existent. He is the great I AM. All of that is captured and communicated in the all-caps LORD. This is David's shepherd, and this is your shepherd.”

“Your shepherd is the one Isaiah 40 describes as measuring the waters that cover the Earth in the hollow of His hands and the one who consults no one because He knows all things.”

“Your shepherd is the one Job 38 describes as commanding the elements of weather and creating the boundaries of the sea.”

“Your shepherd is the one Psalm 8 declares has set the stars into place. PERSPECTIVE: [There is a] report that says there are 1,000 stars for every grain of sand on the Earth. Every one of them, the LORD, sets and holds into place effortlessly.”

“Here's the point: Your shepherd is no ordinary shepherd! He is the LORD who shepherds you from the fullness of His infinite and undiminishing wisdom, love, and power.”

“Allow this to stop you in your tracks because it should. The opening words of Psalm 23 should arrest our attention immediately. But too often, it doesn't. We rush by WHO our shepherd is to get to WHAT he does for us.”

“Don't allow your view of LORD to be, in the words of Phillip Keller—too small, too cramped, too provincial, too human. As the sun sets on one year and dawns on another, take heart—The LORD has been your shepherd, and He will continue to be your shepherd!”

“In light of WHO the Psalm 23 shepherd is, what David says next is quite remarkable: he says—The LORD is my shepherd. David does not say the LORD is A shepherd, or Israel's shepherd, or even Our shepherd. He says The Lord is MY shepherd. The Infinite LORD is an Intimate Shepherd!”

“I read a great book, While Shepherds Watch Their Flock, by Timothy Laniak, a missionary turned seminary professor who took a year-long sabbatical to the Middle East to study real shepherds. His book chronicles and makes biblical connections with the things he learned about the sheep, the shepherds, and the culture to the shepherd imagery in the Bible, particularly Psalm 23. Here are a few things he observed that have not changed much over time:
- A good shepherd takes great pride in ensuring the sheep are well-fed, protected, and flourishing under His care.
- A good shepherd is up early, carefully inspecting his sheep, looking for any injuries, illness, or parasites. Anything that needs special attention before the day starts.
- A good shepherd is strategic and goes to great lengths to ensure there are always green, rich pastures. He makes sure there is plenty of clean water, and he plans for enough feed to get them through winter.
- A good shepherd sleeps with one eye open, constantly alert for danger from predators. His eyes continually move over the flock so he knows when a sheep wanders off or gets too close to a cliff.”

“In other words, a shepherd knows his sheep intimately. The LORD, who is transcendent above His creation in every way, the one who holds the universe in his hands, relates to YOU as a shepherd relates to his sheep.”

“These five simple words—The LORD is my shepherd—represent a glorious condescension. As you turn the corner to 2025, the Lord wants to remind you of your profound relationship with Him. We have been reminded this Christmas that our Infinite Shepherd condescended to us by sending his son Jesus, the one John 10 calls the Good Shepherd to us for one reason—to lay down his life for the sheep so God could lovingly and eternally accept us.”

“That's what the gospel is about—The Lord, the Great Shepherd, doing all the work needed through Jesus, the good shepherd, to make you His beloved sheep.”

“Yet, as David considers his life, he concludes he is not lacking or deficient, whether temporal or spiritual; he believes he has all he needs. Why? Because he has all he wants? NO. Because the LORD is his shepherd, and the LORD is enough. David is a man marked by a profound contentment rooted in knowing who controls his physical and spiritual well-being—an infinitely good Shepherd who has an undying love for Him.”

“Contentment is elusive. One of the most true-to-life book titles ever is The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (Jeremiah Burrows). The words I shall not want challenge us because we are prone to wander and be dazzled by other things.”

“We all have some Miss Gadabout [the fence-crawling sheep] in us, don't we? Our hearts want for something more than what God has for us. We think the fields are greener on the other side of the metaphorical fence. Sometimes, it's the sin of greed that drives us. Other times it's the idol of personal dreams. At times, the weariness of suffering fuels discontentment with our shepherd.”

“Church, a new year lies ahead. It will hold personal triumph and tragedy. It will bring health and sickness. There will be excitement and disappointment. As a church, we will launch an exciting Church Plant Exploratory CG on the east side, experience evangelism growing pains, and keep gathering on Sundays and in CG right here in the NW. There will be green pastures and lean pastures. But our Good Shepherd will be with us every step of the way. Jesus is with us. And as our Shepherd, he is working on your behalf, working all things for his glory and your good, keeping you in his graces and providing rest, peace, and joy as your shelter in the storm and comforter of your soul so that we can say with David—read verse 6.”

APPLICATION:
- Here's one way to begin the new year: read Enjoying God by R.C. Sproul

- As you look back on 2024, ask yourself: What areas of fence crawling do I need to give to the Lord in 2025? Identify and repent of those areas with the assurance that your Great Shepherd won't put you down. Like the Father of the Prodigal Son, God never casts His sheep away. He shepherds us. He lovingly corrects us. He gently restores us. He faithfully tends to us by showing us how good and trustworthy He is and how lovely and satisfying His ways are if we would have the eyes to see.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
This Is Amazing Grace
We Have Been Healed
Grace and Peace
Jesus Thank You
King Of Love
O Lord My Rock And My Redeemer

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Colossians 2:8-15

THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:

Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life

By Tripp, Paul David

Buy on Amazon

Beginning in July, week after week, we have beheld and savored the Glory of God. These messages have been leading us to this glorious place: PRAISE THE LORD. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 113
TITLE: Who Is Like Our God?
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Our incomparable LORD is worthy of our endless and highest praise!

POINTS:
1. The Never-ending Praise of His Name (Vs. 1-3)
2. The Grandeur of His Glory (Vs. 4-5)
3. The Marvel of His Mercy (Vs. 6-9)

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”This Psalm opens with the imperative - Praise the Lord. The opening first three verses make it clear! The last words of this Psalm make it clear! Praise the LORD! From beginning to end, it is clear… Praise the LORD!”

“Recalling that this Ps was likely the first song sung at Passover, we must put ourselves in the Jewish homes worldwide at that time as they sang and prepared for the Passover. The public temple service was a responsive service in which the Levite priests would declare each part of the verse, and the people would respond.”

“This song does not first build the case that grips our hearts, leading us to praise. Rather, this song bursts forth in Praise of our God first! “Praise, O servants of the LORD!” - the prescription!”

“Now Vs. 2 provides the description - the praise of the Lord now begins to take ‘SHAPE’ and instruction.”

“How long am I to praise the LORD? We worship our God right now… FORTH with a trajectory of forevermore. We begin now and refuse to cease… if more can be, we magnify Him!”

“There is a sense in this verse in which the meaning points to the faithfulness of the rising and setting of the sun… the faithfulness of the rotation of the earth… so shall the faithfulness of our worship be.Yet it also describes our praise being lifted up every day! The effect of the verse is: The inclination and disposition of the heart is one of joy, thanksgiving, need, longing, trusting, and returning to the praise of His glorious name! ‘Praise Him every waking moment and do not stop praising the LORD!’”

“Q. Who is like the LORD our God? This question and its answer provide the framework of this Psalm. This question… really… is God’s question to us about himself, provided not simply as a test but aims us toward the praise and blessing of His name. The grandeur of God’s glory begins to be described for us by revealing the vast, immeasurable difference, distinctiveness, distance, ‘otherness’ in holiness describes the LORD in the words, “The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!”

“God is high above everything that we see, experience, or conceive in our minds and imagination. God is high above all of the people of the earth and the observable universe! God is (vs. 5) seated on high He is present, ruling over all of creation - He is seated on high as its Sovereign, Providential KING in majesty! As high and ‘other’ is He, He rules it all from His Holy throne!”

“The god of SELF attempts to pull God off of His seat - dethroning Him and we attempt to take His seat! The greatest enemy of God and His glory is not first out there somewhere declaring their rule and reign. Application for us: in our sin, we want to sit on high!So texts like these are pure gold. When my view and thoughts of God have been diminished and I am failing to behold the Grandeur of His Glory… caught in anger, complaining that things are not going MY way…A difficult situation comes to my mind, and forgetting all that is good and true about my God, I turn on him in accusation. The gods of this world obscure our view of the Glory of God.”

“Who is like our God in His humiliation/condescension? From on high, He looks down! O, how far the LORD has come and stooped down to look on us! AND this is nothing but the magnificence of His MERCY.”

“We marvel at His mercy as He stoops and looks on the heavens and the earth who raged against Him. (vs 6). We marvel at His mercy as He comes to the dust and goes into the burning trash heap (dunghill). (vs 7) Has He not come so far?! There is no sinner, so filthy and so far, that God cannot show mercy - THIS IS WHAT MERCY IS! - the undeserved saving of God. His nail-scared hand has reached into this dark place and has pulled you out! We marvel at His mercy as He raises us up when we should have be been left where we were, but HE seats his saints on high (vs 8). We marvel at His mercy in the compassion of the miracle pictured in the imagery of a barren woman.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Isaiah 40:15
Isaiah 44:6-8
Matthew 1:21
Matthew 1:23
Philippians 2:6-11

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon- “While praising him aloud, the people were also to bless him in the silence of their hearts, wishing glory to his name, success to his cause, and triumph to his truth.”

Charles Spurgeon- “For ever, and more than ‘for ever,’ if more can be, let him be magnified.”

John Calvin - “… at such a distance from us…”  “he magnifies his mercy towards us”

Charles Spurgeon - “It is a marvel of mercy that the sun should rise on the rebellious sons of men…”

APPLICATION:
Who is like the LORD our God? NO ONE! Let this humble you and draw you to behold the Grandeur of His Glory. Psalm 113 gets around in front of us exhorting self-worshippers like me and you by exulting God lifting our eyes ‘UP’ to the one and only incomparable God.
- Behold the Grandeur of His Glory!!!
- Behold the Marvelous Mercy of Jesus as he came down and gave His life in our place on the cross!

The Gospel result is we have been lifted from dust and the burning trash and a cursed life and made princes in God’s kingdom! Seated with Christ Jesus to the confession and praise of His Glorious name!
Q. How high has your pride sought to take God’s seat? There is mercy for you!
Q. How far have you been buried in the filth and burning trash of your sin? There is mercy for you!

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
This Is Our God
Our Song From Age To Age
Jesus I My Cross Have Taken
There is One Gospel
Jesus, There's No One Like You

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Romans 12:1

What do you want more than anything else? Psalm 84 takes us into the thoughts of a man who wants God more than anything else. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 84
TITLE: A Bellhop’s Psalm
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. He Longs to Worship God with God’s People
2. He is Dependent On and Delights In God’s Grace
3. He is Satisfied In God’s Salvation

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Here’s a challenging thought (Ligonier Website): Where and who do you want to be? Is it more important to you to be in this world with a high position and much acclaim, or would you prefer to be a mere servant in the household of God? The world and its allurements may be enticing, but all of it will pass away. Only the household of God will remain, and only what we do for Christ will have eternal value. We can distill that thought into one penetrating question—What do you want more than anything else? Psalm 84 takes us into the thoughts of a man who wants God more than anything else.”

“Psalm 84 was written by one of the sons of Korah. You can read about them in 1 Chronicles 23-26. As a division of the Levites, the Korahites served in the temple. There were numerous temple tasks: priests, musicians, treasurers, and others. The Korahites had the lowest duty in the temple—doorkeeper. …The Sons of Korah were ancient bellhops.”

“Psalm 84 is their perspective of the privilege of being at the temple with God’s people in God’s presence. Their job was menial. Their ministry was not exalted. But that didn’t matter because they loved being in the house of the Lord. Psalm 84 is their chance to tell the world about it. And today they get to tell us about it. As they do, a portrait appears of the person who wants God and desires to be in God’s presence with God’s people more than anything else.”

“In this portrait, we find three characteristics or, as the psalmist presents them, marks of blessedness, of the one who wants God more than anything else.”

“Jewish people believed in an omnipresent God. They believed Yahweh was always with them. But they also knew God’s presence and glory was uniquely manifested and experienced in the temple. The sacrifices, the Law, God’s covenant people gathered, all of it made the temple a place where God’s people could encounter and engage with God in a way like no other.”

“The verbs longs and faints express a desire and yearning for God so strong that it exhausts his whole being. The psalmists says—My heart (spiritual) and flesh (physical) sing for joy to the living God. This wasn’t about mental assent; it was about being consumed with God. He treasures God. He longs for his glory. He finds his greatest joy in His presence. He sings for joy in God and considers himself blessed for being part of it all!”

“How important is this today? Fewer and fewer Christians are interested in gathering with God’s people to worship God in the presence of His glory. I’m too tired. I’m too busy. I’m too hurt. I’m good I read my Bible. I think the psalmist would say—What’s up with not going to church!”

“Listen, we don't need a temple to go to today. We have seen, we know, and we experience the glory of God in Jesus Christ. The gospel transforms everything. Personal peace with God. Personal union in Christ. The Spirit lives in the heart of every believer. But there’s so much more to the Christian life than me and Jesus.”

“There is nothing magical about this building. But when we gather to worship God together, in a unique and powerful way we are the dwelling place of God and we experience His presence and glory that cannot be experienced in any other way. I submit to you, if any part of this life is like heaven, it is what we are doing right now.”

“When you walk through those doors at 10 am is there a sense of awe and wonder, joy and privilege? If you think about what we are doing, there should be.”

“In the Bible, the sparrow is symbolic for something that is worthless and the swallow for something that is restless. Are you feeling worthless? Is your soul restless? This is where you belong.”  

“…the traveler had a deep desire to be at the temple and an abiding confidence in the grace of God to strengthen them for the difficult and trying journey. So they made the journey with joy AND resolve.”

“According to 6, the psalmist dug wells in the desert and trusted God for rain. His pilgrimage to Jerusalem represents ours in this world. We do our part in the Valley of Baca by making it a place of springs. We dig pools, i.e., thankfulness, studying His Word, serving and blessing others. We do that anticipating God will do His part—supplying the autumn rains, i.e., bringing joy, peace, and provision.”

“This is how we go from strength to strength as it says in 7. Seeing and experiencing, knowing and growing in Christ more and more on the road to Zion, this is how God grows our faith in and love for Him.”

“What is your Valley of Baca today? What does it look like for you to dig blessings out of hardships? Follow the highway to Zion that the Lord has put in your heart. Allow His grace to supersede any trial. Trust He will send rain in due time as he brings you closer and closer to heaven. He will do it. He is for you!”

“Here’s what makes this celebration of God’s salvation so amazing.  Numbers 16 recounts how God judged Korah and his family for their rebellious temple service by causing the earth to swallow them up. Now centuries later, one of the Sons of Korah is writing this psalm that praises that same God for His grace and favor in salvation. Whether or not 11 is a result of thinking back on Numbers 16 we don’t know. But the family who knew severe judgment from God now marvels in His salvation.”

“He’s close enough to catch glimpses of the wonder and glory of it all. And a glimpse is enough. One day of glimpses is better than a thousand in the tents of the wicked! Why? Because the doorkeeper belongs to God.”

“We’re all just bellhops right now. But the gospel has set our hearts on the highway to Zion. Heaven is our home. Like the worshiper in Psalm 84, we are on a pilgrimage. And one day in heaven our glimpses of glory will be turned to unveiled and eternal gazing.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:22
1 Peter 2:5
2 Corinthians 3:18

QUOTES:
Derek Kindner - “They make it a place of springs is a classic statement of the faith which dares to dig blessings out of hardships. But God may choose to send rain, which comes through nobodies enterprise and can bring a whole area to life, for he has more than one way of dealing with our dryness.”

Charles Spurgeon - “To bear burdens and open doors for the Lord’s house is better than the highest position among the godless…God’s doorstep is a happier rest than downy couches within the pavilions of royal sinners, though we might lie there for a lifetime of luxury.”

APPLICATION:
What about you and I? Where and who do we want to be?  

• Where are the highways of my heart leading me? 

• What are you exhausting your heart and flesh for?

• What is so valuable to me that it keeps me from communion with believers, serving in the strength of the Spirit, and worshipping my Savior on Sundays?

Bottom line: Have you grown familiar with Jesus? We grow familiar. Have you grown familiar with Jesus? Have you lost your wonder and awe toward him? To trust in the Lord is to give Him glory. To give Him glory is to long for and be satisfied in His Son Jesus. To be satisfied in Jesus is to be blessed. On this side of the cross, the blazing center of God’s presence and glory is Jesus.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
God Is For Us
How Rich A Treasure We Possess
Only Jesus
The Father's Love
Christ Our Glory

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 113

It’s easy to make Psalm 56 about the struggle to have faith in fearful times. Yes, it can be a struggle. Yes, there is a degree of lament in David’s words. But Psalm 56 is not about struggle; it’s about VICTORY, victory that comes through faith in the character and promises of God that belong to us in Christ. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 56
TITLE: God Is For Me!
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Our fear gives way to faith when we focus on the faithfulness of God.

POINTS:
1. The Heart of Fear
2. The Heart of Faith
3. The Heart of God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The backdrop of Psalm 56 is 1 Samuel 21-22. I encourage you to read it this week. In a nutshell, David, who was running for his life from King Saul, ran right into the hands of another deadly enemy—the Philistines. When David wrote Psalm 56, he was alone, desperate, and afraid.”

“The occasion for David’s fear is clear in the text. the first two verses, David uses words like trample, oppresses, and attack to describe what was happening to him. In 5-6, he says his enemies injure his cause and stir up strife as they position themselves to kill David. In their quest to kill David, his enemies were unrelenting. Three times, 1, 2, and 5, David says that his enemies have pursued him all day long. David lived every moment of every day, wondering if it was his last. The brave boy who slayed Goliath when everyone else was afraid. David was no stranger to fear.”

“What about you? Are you feeling alone, desperate, or afraid today? What keeps you up at night? What fears tend to grip your heart?”

“David began 3 afraid. By the end of 4, he is not afraid. What happened between When I am afraid and I shall not be afraid? Faith happened. David could face his terrifying trials because he knew where to run when he felt fear beginning to grip him. He put his faith in God.”

“Typically, our response to fear is anxiety, panic, or distress. When we are afraid, it’s easy to turn to self-sufficiency and self-preservation. Those are vain and powerless responses to fear. More than that, they are sin we must confess to, repent of, and embrace full forgiveness in Christ for. Only then will our fears drive us to Jesus instead of away from Jesus. When David was afraid, he turned to the Lord.”

“His example is so instructive for us when we are afraid and fighting for faith. I want you to notice two things about David’s faith: David’s faith is deliberate and David’s faith is theologically informed.”

“David’s faith was an intentional act of the will. In the moment of fear, David makes a decision that that defies the reality of his situation and the power of his emotions. He trusts God. David He didn’t wait for God to give him faith. Is his faith in God a gift? Is it the work of the Spirit in him? Absolutely. But that does not excuse David from exercising his faith in God.”

“In the same way, we are called to put our faith in God. The Bible never says Jesus has faith for us. Trusting God is what God calls us to do. When we do, we realize it is only by grace, so we cannot boast except in Christ.”

“Three times, David says—I trust in God, whose word I praise. The word praise means exclaim. David exclaims, declaring to himself (preaching to himself) what God is like and what He has promised according to God’s Word. His faith is not blind. He is not throwing vague prayers at the wall. His trust in God is informed by the character and promises of God as revealed to him in God’s Word that drown out the voice of fear.”

“Church, how encouraging and compelling David’s example is for us. When David spoke of God’s Word, he had the Pentateuch (Gen-Deut) and maybe Joshua and Judges, but it was enough to know God’s character and promises. We have the entire Bible. God doesn’t speak to us audibly, but He does speak to us clearly, by His Spirit through His Word.”

“God’s Word is God speaking. He is telling us what He is like. He is telling us how He feels about His people. God is telling us how He acts and what He promises to His children. He reveals what we can be sure of regarding our relationship with Him. And what He says to us in the Bible is the foundation of our faith in times of fear.”

“God knows your tossings. He personally keeps record, not of your sin, but of every tear that falls from your eyes. Verse 8 is a memorable and penetrating way of describing God’s tender care for David and us. God hears your cries. God knows your fears. Sees what keeps you tossing at night. He knows, and He is keeping track of your heart, and He will never fail to care, and He will never be indifferent to your trials and struggles.”

“You can take God at His word. God cannot lie (Heb 6:18). God is faithful (1 Cor 1:9). He is trustworthy. And it is through His Word that He faithfully cares for you. So, the degree to which you have confidence in the Word of God is the degree to which you will have confidence in God.”

“This is David’s grand conclusion— What can man do to me? This I know, my God is for me. The danger David was in did not disappear. But his fears did, and for one reason—What David knew (mental ascent) and what he believed (faith) about God. And it all culminated in this—My God is for me.”

“Man can oppress you, hate you, hurt you, slander you, and yes, even kill you. But in the deepest and most ultimate sense, they can do NOTHING to you because NOTHING can separate you from the eternal love and favor of the One whom your life and fellowship are bound up with in Christ—the God of the universe.”

“When your back is against the wall, i.e., you are being trampled on and attacked, you know that the transcendent, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving, and sovereign Lord of the universe is counting your tossing and keeping track of every tear you cry. The knowledge and conviction of the promise of intimate, tender, and adequate divine care is the basis for silencing the voice of fear when it roars.”

“No one here knows God well enough. That is the Christian’s eternal duty and delight that will never end. But the more you know, the more you grow and the greater joy you will experience. As the final words of the text say—That I may walk before God in the light of life. Translation—JOY IN CHRIST!”

“Whatever gets in the way of giving yourself to this application, tear it up and throw it away because what you need is to KNOW that god is for you today, tomorrow, and forever!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 21-22
Hebrews 13:5
Romans 8:28
Philippians 4:19
2 Corinthians 12:9
Romans 8:31-32

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “We have the Bible. It contains all we need to know about spiritual things. Equally important, we have the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of what has been written as well as the ability to apply it to specific areas of our lives.”

J.I. Packer - “God is for me is in truth one of the richest and weightiest utterances that the Bible contains….The knowledge that God is on his side brings a note of triumph into David’s prayer.”

Sinclair Ferguson - “How do you know God is really for you? Where should you look for the proof that God is for you? Does it lie in the fact that your Christian life has been unbroken happiness? Does it lie in the fact that your Christian life has been one of ecstatic joy? There is only one irrefutable answer to these questions. It cannot be found in our circumstances. It lies only in the provision that God has made for us in Jesus Christ.”

APPLICATION:
- Do you doubt God cares for you? God notices, catches, and records every tear you shed. He cares because He loves you with an undying love. Do you believe that?

It’s not simply God’s got this. It’s God is FOR you. God is at work for my good. God will see His work to the end. God is intimately and tenderly involved in my life in every way as my Heavenly Father—God is FOR me!

Do you believe God is FOR you? I’m not asking if you agree with me but if you believe. If you don’t or you have even a smidge of doubt, look past your circumstances and see His only Son hanging on a cross, being crushed by His heavenly Father—FOR YOU!

Do you believe the greatest expression that God is FOR you is in the gospel?
1. Preach to yourself more and listen to yourself less
2. Get to know your Lord and Savior

• Scriptures read earlier

• Knowing God (J.I. Packer)

• Knowing Christ (Mark Jones)

3. Major on the spiritual, minor on the practical

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
The Power Of The Cross
Jesus Paid It All
All Things

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 84

As individual believers and collectively as a local church, we can never overestimate, and we must never underestimate what it means to be forgiven of our sins by God. That is the message of Psalm 32. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 32
TITLE: Better Than We Deserve
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Being forgiven is everything.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Years ago, I heard someone respond to the question, How are you doing? in this way—’I’m doing better than I deserve.’ …I am doing better than I deserve. It’s more than a religious slogan. Understood rightly, it’s a declaration and celebration of God’s heart and the power of the gospel. At its core is this eternal truth—My sins are forgiven. I am doing better than I deserve because God has chosen to forgive my sins instead of holding them against me.”

“There is no higher blessing in this life than having your sin forgiven by God in Christ Jesus. If you are forgiven, regardless of anything else going on in your life—you are genuinely doing better than you deserve.”

“The first two verses are the centerpiece of the psalm. They are theology at its finest.”

“It’s easy to underestimate the moment in these verses. If you were with David as he wrote these words, you would perceive a substantive and deep joy pouring from his heart. David knows he is forgiven, and as he considers that reality, he is undone by joy. How do we know this? Look no further than 11. David begins Psalm 32 with a declaration that to be forgiven is to be blessed. And 11 is the exclamation point of what is going on in his heart as he considers that God has forgiven his sins.”

“Now, David uses three different words to refer to sin. In 1, he uses transgression (rebellion or crime) and sin (to fall short or miss the mark like an arrow misses the target). In 2, he chooses iniquity (twisted or crooked). The point of using multiple terms to describe sin is not to draw distinctions or create categories of sin. The comprehensive nature and utter sinfulness of our sin is revealed in these terms.”

“Sin is not simply some trivial wrongdoing or bad moral choice. Sin is a rebellious and perverted offense against God and His authority. David wants us to feel that. He wants us to be sobered by that, not to condemn us, but to compel us to be amazed by grace.”

“The first word to describe what God does with our sin is forgiven—(1) Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven. …The word forgiven literally means our sin has been lifted off. Sin and the guilt and shame that accompany it is a weight upon our souls. But when we confess our sin, God removes it. He takes it away. He lifts it off so that we no longer bear the effects of our sin.”

“Where does our sin go? The innocent shoulders of Jesus Christ, who stood in our place and paid the total debt of our sin on the cross. He is the reason we can be forgiven. God doesn’t overlook our sin. He can’t. He’s a holy God who hates sin and must punish all sin.”

“The second word that describes what God does with our sin is covered—(1) Blessed is the one whose sin is covered. The blood of Jesus covers our sin. He is the sacrificial lamb whose blood shed on the cross covers our sin, hiding it in the sense that it has been resolved and is no longer an issue keeping us alienated from and under the wrath of God. The New Testament word for this covering is propitiation. Jesus is our propitiation, his blood covering our sin so that God’s wrath would be turned away.” 

“Finally, David says in 2—Blessed is the man whom the LORD counts no iniquity. This is amazing! God is the divine bookkeeper. But the one whose sin has been forgiven, God no longer COUNTS it against them. He strikes it from the record book. It’s as if it never happened.”

“Your sin is forgiven, covered, and removed from the divine record book when you repent. There is no record of your sin. Even better, the only thing COUNTED to you, what the divine ledger reads next to your name is not your many sins but the perfect obedience and righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is what God counts toward you. That’s what we call justification.”

“Church, there is no greater blessedness than being forgiven by God. It's true that God’s blessings come in all shapes and sizes. I trust you are acutely aware of God’s blessings in your life. I hope you have been counting them one by one this past week. But here’s the truth: You can have everything—health, wealth, popularity, power, success, friendships, children and grandchildren—but if your sin is not forgiven, you have nothing.”

“I humbly submit that we must redeem our paradigm of what it means to be blessed. Too often, my understanding of a blessed life is too narrow and too earthly. It’s easy for me to connect a blessed life with my current circumstances.”

“Now, in 3-4, David recounts a time when instead of confessing his sin, he was silent and, as it says at the end of 2, his spirit was living in deception. He was unwilling to confess his sin. David describes the effects of his unrepentant heart in physical terms. (3) His bones wasting away reflects an internal conflict that left him (4) weak and parched as a hot summer day with no water or relief leaves one physically. In 4, David says he felt the unrelenting heavy hand of God’s discipline upon him. Not to punish him but as an expression of God’s love for David; divine discipline mercifully moved David toward repentance.”

“Many scholars believe Psalm 32 is a response to Psalm 51, where David repented of adultery with Bathsheba and the orchestrated murder of her husband Uriah. David was carrying the weight of adultery and murder, and it was killing him.”

“David ended his silence. He owned his guilt. He confessed his sin to the Lord. He repented. And the Lord forgave David. Look at the right margin at the end of 5. See the word Selah. It probably means pause and think about what you just read. In 5, Selah follows these words—and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. God’s forgiveness is worthy of our pause and consideration. We should not read and immediately move on. But Selah applies to us, not God. As soon as David confesses, we read the Lord forgives. God doesn’t pause to consider David’s confession—He immediately forgives. God doesn’t make David earn it. God doesn’t make David sweat. David confesses his sin from the heart, and God pardons him immediately!”

“Not because our sin isn’t serious but because God is merciful. God loves to forgive sinners. God is eager to forgive His children over and over again. You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to beg. You don’t have to persuade. You don’t have to prove your case. God doesn’t vet us. God loves to forgive the penitent!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 103:12
Psalm 103:10
1 John 1:9
Isaiah 55:6-7

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “God is ready and even yearning to forgive and restore us fully —if only we will confess our sin and come to him believing in Jesus Christ, who has made atonement for it. And he will do it right away.”

APPLICATION:
For application I want us to spend time in three passages this week: 

• Psalm 51 (Magna Carta of repentance)

• 1 John 1 (Ongoing repentance as fellowship with God)

• Psalm 103 (God’s heart toward those who repent)

Our text gives us clear and immediate application—

Verse 6 is a call to repentance—TODAY—while God can be found. No one is promised tomorrow, but God promises grace TODAY. Today is a day of grace because God is available to receive your repentance. No one is promised tomorrow.

Freely come to Jesus, believing that his life and death are sufficient for your forgiveness. What you will find is that the Lord will be merciful.

TODAY is the day to run to Jesus in repentance and faith. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, the Lord won’t turn you away. He will turn His forgiving eye on you.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Praise And Glorify
It Was Finished Upon That Cross
O My Soul Arise
Judge Of The Secrets
Bless The Lord O My Soul (Psalm 103)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 56

Prosperity in this world (wealth, health, family) is a gift from God. Prosperity is also a test. It's a test of the heart meant to prove and renew our trust in and love for God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 30
TITLE: Our Prosperity and God’s Praise
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”King David knew the gift of prosperity, but he failed the test of prosperity. Psalm 30 was sung at the dedication of the Temple. David never saw that day, but his experience was the background. In the same way Moses exhorted the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6—When you live prosperously in the Promise Land, don’t forget it came from the hand of God—in the same way, Psalm 30 would remind God’s people that the Temple in all its wonder and glory, comes from the hands of God.”

“David’s experience is our instruction. Living in America, we all know prosperity. The question isn’t—Am I prosperous? The question is—How do I know if I’m failing the test of prosperity?  For this task, Psalm 30 is a gift to us. Today we will unpack David’s situation, then use his situation to draw three applications for our own praise of God in prosperity.”

“Like a bucket draws water up out of a well—imagery of verb drawn in 1—God drew David up out of the pit of death. And now David praises God from a heart overflowing with gratitude. He doesn’t forget what God did for him. He can’t forget. He won’t forget. So, he praises God.”

“David was a man who had received God’s favor in abundance. The LORD was good to David. The LORD prospered David. He provided richly for David—his kingdom, military might, and personal life. David knew God’s favor as few knew it—(7) By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain (metaphor for his kingdom and personal life) stand strong.”

“David knew God’s favor. But he forgot God’s favor—(6) As for me in my prosperity, I shall never be moved. This is David’s humble confession that he became proud in his prosperity. He allowed God’s favor to close his eyes to God. He grew numb to the reality that all he had was from God, and his pride swelled as he began to believe his own headlines. David began to think—I got this! I’ve done this!”

“David forgot that his prosperity was a gift from God, and in his forgetfulness, he failed the test of prosperity. And so, God disciplined him. God disciplines the ones He loves (Heb 12). God disciplined for his pride. At the end of 7, God hid His face from David, and David was dismayed. He felt it, and he knew it. David forgot God.”

“Let us beware, indeed. In the words of one Scottish preacher—We are never in greater danger than in the sunshine of prosperity.”

“I can find at least three ways David responds to God in Psalm 30  that three thousand years later compel us to sing God’s praises in our prosperity rather than swell our pride. [See below.]”

“Being merciful and gracious is not merely what God does; it’s who He is. It’s His nature. It’s according to his character or, as 4 says—His holy name. David is not simply observing life here in 4-5. You win some, you lose some. You have to take the bad with the good. Cheer up; things will get better. No, Anger for a moment, favor for a lifetime, weeping in the night, and joy in the morning are spiritual contrasts that communicate what God is like and how He loves to treat His people.”

“Be warned today—God will discipline you for your sin. Be sober-minded about your self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-exaltation. Repent. Humble yourself before the Lord in prayer. Run to Jesus and receive forgiveness, knowing the disposition of God’s heart toward you is divine favor, and that outweighs His divine anger.”

“Know that whether it is God’s discipline or suffering in a fallen world, you will have times of weeping in your life, but God’s favor and the joy His favor brings are the final words in your life.”

“Whether it is education, career, health, wealth, or cherished relationships, our prosperity comes from God, and it is for His glory, not ours. Your prosperity is meant to serve God’s eternal designs of glorifying Himself in all things. It’s the reason we exist. Through our salvation in Christ, our lives would not be silent; instead, we would worship and testify to the glory of God.”

“The discipline of the Lord has humbled David. Now he sees he should have thanked God for what he had instead of allowing what he had to swell his pride. And gratitude is the key. It’s hard for pride to grow in a heart filled with gratitude.”

“Truth is, our gratefulness should exceed David’s because Jesus did the unthinkable—he gave up his life so we could be spared from the pit of eternal death. This is truth for all of us, but my heart today is that in particular, those of you who If don’t feel prosperous. God hid his face from His only Son on the cross so He could shine His face down upon you. Jesus died on the cross. For three days, he was dead. But on the third day, God drew him up, not merely from death but over death itself.”

“Are you looking for reasons to sing this morning? Do you need to be compelled to sing? Don’t look to your prosperity; look to what God is like. His anger is but for a moment, but his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry through the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:33
John 3:30

QUOTES:
Oswald Sanders - “Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all is to survive prosperity.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Prosperity had evidently turned the psalmist’s head, or he would not have been so self-confident. He stood by grace, and yet forgot himself, and so met with a fall. Reader, is there not much of the same proud stuff in all our hearts? Let us beware lest the fortunes of intoxicating success get into our brains and make fools of us also.”

James Montgomery Boice - “The point is this: God is indeed displeased with sin and can never be indifferent to it. He judges sin with a holy anger, even in Christians. But for His people God’s judgments and anger are short-lived. They pass quickly. What remains is His favor, which lasts for our lifetime and indeed forever.”

Eric Lane - “God’s anger is like an overnight visitor but His favor is like a permanent resident.”

APPLICATION:
So How do we know if we are failing the test of prosperity? 

• Is your daily communion (Prayer/Word) with Jesus diminishing?

• Is your first impulse I got this or I did this?

• Do forsake the things you know God has called you to (church, Christian fellowship, giving) to pursue the things the world holds out to you (leisure, work, lifestyle, family)?

• Have the unsaved become invisible because all that matters is what you have going on?

• Do you give less to your church's mission because you need more to sustain your lifestyle?

• Do you forget to give God glory in success?

• Are people more aware of your encouragement of them or your stories about you? 

• Are you amazed by God’s grace and power less and less because you are amazed at your abilities and accomplishments more and more?

In his prosperity, David forgot God. Have you forgotten God in your prosperity? Or maybe you haven’t forgotten God but have repositioned him in your life.

1. Remember God’s Heart

2. Embrace Your Purpose

3. Excel in Gratitude

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Sing
Jesus Your Mercy
The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93)
O Lord My Rock And My Redeemer
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 32

Listening to someone pray tells you a lot about them. In our text today, we learn a lot about Israel through their prayers. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 20
TITLE: Confidence In Our King
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Psalm 20 is a prayer for victory on the battlefield (Psalm 21 is thanksgiving for the victory). It can be divided into three parts:
1. The first five verses are Israel’s prayer for David’s victory. 
2. In 6-8, we witness the people’s unwavering confidence in God for victory. 
3. Finally, one more appeal for victory in 9.
Interestingly, it’s a prayer written by David to be prayed for David.”

“If you can picture with me the scene, David is about to lead Israel onto the battlefield. That is his day of trouble in 1. Israel’s army was assembled and ready for battle. But before they leave, David orders sacrifices and prayers to be offered. As he stands before the people, they offer blessings and prayers for him, which are laid out for us in the first five verses.”

“So 1-5 is a powerfully theological prayer that reveals the people’s confidence in the character, provision, promises, faithfulness, and blessings of God. They are an outpouring of their love for the LORD, fear of the LORD, and trust in the LORD.”

“As one commentator noted, the repetition of the word May (8x’s in all) communicates their complete confidence in the LORD. This is proved out in 6-8. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. These words are the heart of Psalm 20.”

“An armory filled with chariots produced a lot of confidence on the battlefield. But Israel didn’t look to the armory; they looked to the sanctuary in heaven for their help because they believed that their all-powerful, self-existent, unchanging, ever-present, always faithful God, Yahweh himself, would win the war for them.”

“By the way, their discerning eye of faith in an invisible God was not in vain. Psalm 20 is God’s people confidently praying for victory. Psalm 21 is God’s people passionately thanking God for the victory.”

“I believe it’s natural for all of us to find our confidence in ourselves. We all have our personal chariots and horses. Our strength, will, wisdom, money, experience. The more we possess, the more we accomplish, the more we achieve, the more we are confident in ourselves—I’ve been here before; I’ve got this. It’s a vicious cycle.”

“So, facing our misappropriated trust and confidence head-on is critical. Not only is it so often the source of our anxiety, discouragement, and disappointment, but it keeps us from and puts us in opposition to God.  When our minds are filled with self-confidence, we forget God’s sufficiency.”

“When we trust in human wisdom, we get what human wisdom can give. When we trust in institutions and organizations, we get what institutions and organizations can give. When we trust in money, we get what money can give. When we trust in created things instead of the Creator, we get what created things can give us instead of what only God can give us.”

“The writer [of Proverbs 3:5-8] seems pretty clear to me—To know God. To boast in the LORD. To trust in Jesus. That’s where we find healing and refreshment; joy and contentment; peace and satisfaction everlasting. Do you feel the weight of grief? Do you feel weak in faith? Redirect your confidence. Look to Jesus. Trust in Jesus. Oh Lord, in the words of Spurgeon—Let us adore your matchless name, and never dishonor it by distrust or creature-confidence.”

“In Jesus, we have an eternal king of an everlasting kingdom. From the temptations in the wilderness to Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed on his day of trouble, to the cross and the empty grave, Jesus won the ultimate battle for us. David made sacrifices before the battle, but Jesus was the sacrifice that won the battle for our souls.”

“As a believer, your life, purpose, hope, and confidence are tied up in the life of your King. Such is your union with Christ Jesus; therefore, such is your confidence in Christ.”

“Here's the point this morning—The closer we are to Jesus, the more confident we live for him. The more we know him and all he has done for us,  the more we love and trust him.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Proverbs 3:5-8
Romans 8:28-39

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “Chariots and horses make an imposing show, and with their rattling, and dust, and fine caparisons, make so great a figure that vain man is much taken with them; yet the discerning eye of faith sees more in an invisible God than in all these.”

John Calvin - “It’s impossible for him who promises himself victory by confiding in his own strength to have his eyes turned toward God.”

John Stott - “The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough to it for its sparks to fall on us.”

APPLICATION:
Q. Where does your confidence come from?
Q. How do we position ourselves for Psalm 20 confidence in Christ? A. We have to stay close to Christ. If we don’t see him, we won’t remember him.

Four simple ways to stay in the cross's “spark zone”: 
1. Memorize and meditate on gospel verses in Scripture
God calls us to renew our minds and allow our perspective to be shaped by His Word. Start with the gospel. Nothing makes sense without it. Here are some specific verses:
2 Corinthians 5:21
Ephesians 1:3-10; 2:1-10
Romans 3:23-26; 5:6-11; 8:29-39
Isaiah 53:3-6
Titus 3:3-7

2. Study the multi-faceted nature of the gospel
Before you try to figure out what can’t be figured out, usually represented by words you can’t pronounce, do you know what propitiation, justification, and atonement are? Study the Bible and start with the gospel. The more you understand, the more you will cherish and trust. 

3. Rehearse often how the gospel changed and is changing your life
People like to say forget the past. Never forget the past. Reflect on your testimony. Remember how God saved you and continues His gospel work in you today. There is no greater way to grow your confidence in Christ.

4. Finally, Make the gospel part of every prayer you pray
Prayer is communion with God. Nothing is more central to our communion with God than what He has done for us in Christ.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
My Soul Will Wait (Psalm 62)
All Things
Christ is Mine Forevermore

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 30

David gives us a compelling example on how we can move towards praise and proclamation in times of trouble. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 9
TITLE: Moving Towards Praise and Proclamation in Trouble
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: Gospel power moves us to praise and proclamation in times of trouble.

POINTS:
1. God As My Refuge
2. God As My Deliverer

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Four times in the first two verses the Psalmist says “I will.”  The Psalmist is attempting to will himself into a certain action. ‘I will give thanks’… do we only give thanks when things go our way?”

“‘I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.’ Think about how powerful this is – when trouble visits your space – your mind can only hold one thought at a time – the Psalmist fights the temptation to grumble, complain, and put on self-pity but fights it by recounting all God’s wonderful deeds. Praise and proclamation can only happen when God is remembered.”

“IMPORTANT In times of trouble remembering WHO God is and WHAT God has done shapes/influences HOW you will respond.  Otherwise, circumstances will dictate how you respond. So we see the Psalmist has a certain resolve in the midst of his circumstances.  We can all relate to this difficulty. When we face trouble every thought matters.”

“Is the Psalmist talking about his resolve following the challenge or in the midst of the trouble? Has the Psalmist been delivered from his troubles or is he in the midst of his troubles? I think we can make a case that the Psalmist is in the midst of trouble.  I think there are hints in our text that would indicate David is in the midst of trouble while he pens this Psalm. Look ahead to V. 9 & V. 13 – God is a stronghold for the oppressed.  He is the stronghold in times of trouble.  ‘See my affliction’. David is in the midst of trouble.  Yet he praises.  He proclaims truths about God.”

“3 things we see in the text that fill his resolve to fill His mind with praise to God AND proclaim truth about God in the midst of trouble:
1. Praise for God’s prior deliverance (v. 3-6)
2. Proclaiming truth about God’s righteousness (v. 7-8)
3. Proclaiming God as a refuge (v.9-10)”

“Notice what V. 9 says – a stronghold for the oppressed and those in times of trouble. I would imagine just about every one of you today is faced with some aspect of oppression or trouble. Sometimes it’s direct and obvious but other times oppression and trouble simply comes because we live in a fallen world. The Psalmist holds out that the LORD is your stronghold.  He is your protection in times of trouble.”

“He says THE LORD IS A STRONGHOLD… LISTEN CLOSELY – God brings trouble into our lives so we can learn to trust Him in the midst of our trouble.  Why? It’s one thing to know God IS A STRONGHOLD, it’s another thing to know God AS YOUR STRONGHOLD. Same as refuge and same as deliverer.”

“It’s easy to just hear “do you know the Lord” as Christianese yet this is the climax of this Psalm. V.10 “Those who know His name put their trust in Him”.  Those who know Him know He will not forsake you.  David is saying with credibility that I know the LORD – He has delivered me many times in the past and He can be trusted. I DON’T JUST FACTUALLY KNOW GOD IS A STRONGHOLD I KNOW HIM AS A STRONGHOLD.”

“CHURCH … to trust God in the midst of your trouble – to move towards praising and proclaiming in the midst of trouble – you must have times of trouble where you can trust God AS your stronghold.  Knowing and trusting God can’t be a set of facts – it’s so much more – praisers and proclaimers know God will not forsake them.”

“In the midst of [Jesus’] trouble – being unjustly crucified – He did not forsake us.  We have God sending His Son to be forsaken so we could know and trust God that He will not forsake you.  NT believers have the full revelation of God Himself in His Son.  God has chosen to reveal Himself to us and He does this by forsaking His Son that we could KNOW HIM AND TRUST HIM in the midst of our trouble and afflictions.”

“What about when God doesn’t answer our prayer?  What about when it feels like you have been forsaken? David knew what it was like for God TO NOT DELIVER HIS SON. Believers don’t just have a here and now understanding of God as deliverer.  We have a LONG view of God’s deliverance.  It’s one level of trust to move towards praise and proclamation while we are in the midst of trouble and affliction but sometimes God will call you to trust Him for eternal deliverance.  That place where there is no more tears, pain, trouble or affliction.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Samuel 22:1-3
Colossians 3:1–4
Acts 16:25
James 1:3
Hebrews 4:14–16

APPLICATION:
- Have you noticed it’s easier to praise God’s goodness and proclaim truths about God after you have been delivered?  What about in the midst of trouble?  How do you do when you are facing trouble, tempted to doubt God maybe even believe untruths about God like he has left you.  

- Do you know the Lord?  Do you know Him in the middle of your trouble and afflictions?  Does that move you to be a praising and proclaiming, believer?

So how do we move towards praise and proclamation when we are afflicted this week or in the midst of trouble?
1. Recount His deeds! Start by preaching the gospel to yourself daily!  Then add to this all His wonderful deeds He’s done in your life.
2. Pursue grace as a practice  – Study Heb 5:11-14 Here’s a taste from V. 14 “powers of discernment trained by constant practice” You might ask “how do I do that? Pursue grace through God’s means of grace.  Don’t overlook the beauty and blessing of gathering with your Church every Sunday morning.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Glorious Christ
Behold Our God
It's Your Grace
Rejoice
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 20

Jesus is the light of God’s face! Come all who put their faith in Him, and you will find that you, too, now live in the goodness of God! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 4
TITLE: Joy That Comes in the Night
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: An unmatched joy is given by God that leads us to trust Him in our time of need.

POINTS:
1. A Joy that comes from God in the darkness of night
2. A Joy that is beyond compare
3. A Joy that leads to a peace-filled trust in God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Not simply ‘a’ joy, but a joy that is beyond compare and unrivaled, can only come from our all-satisfying God who has shone the light of His face on us!”

“In the darkness of night, we find King David is in distress. His trouble is real, described in vs 1 - His distress is significant enough for him to cry to God for relief! Then in verse 2, we find that the trial that he is facing is suffering under shameful assaults on his honor and lies about his character - likely sowing seeds of dissension in the kingdom. This assault on his honor is coming from ‘men of rank,’ not some lightweight opposition - (not some troll with an internet connection). This is a legit enemy wreaking real havoc! Danger is imminent. War could break out! This distress is not only real and consistent, but non-stop, and lengthy, ‘how long.’”

“THIS is important - this distress/trouble does not go away. It appears to remain! But, amid David’s distress, David is granted the relief he has prayed for in Verse 1, and that relief comes from a JOY that God graciously puts in David’s heart (vs 7). In the midst of this distressing situation that will not relent, a surprising joy from God floods the heart of David, enabling him to peacefully go to bed and fall asleep and be assured that his life is safe!”

“Oh, how we need this! LET THIS SINK INTO YOUR SOUL! ON A VERY BAD DAY - GOD GIVES DAVID JOY! And David leads the Choirmaster, and with the stringed instruments, David sings for us… instructing us as it were… in his prayer!”

“We might be hoping and expecting that as soon as we get to the end Vs. 6, the very thing we should have next is ‘You have vanquished my enemy and removed the trial! The lies and dishonor are gone’ The LORD does the unexpected. Instead of the situation being taken away, the LORD does what we will see is better. In vs 7, The LORD gives Joy!”

“In vs 1-8 there are 7 specific REASONS, found in God’s goodness and favor, for our Joy:

• Vs. 1a Reason #1 for our Joy is found in God giving His righteousness to us.

• Vs. 1b Reason #2 for our Joy is found in God’s past faithness. 

• Vs. 1c Reason #3 for our Joy is found in God being gracious to us. 

• Vs. 3a Reason #4 for our Joy is found in God setting us apart for himself. 

• Vs. 3b Reason #5 for our Joy is found in God's hearing when we call to him.

• Vs. 8a Reason #6 for our Joy is found in God granting us peace. 

• Vs. 8b Reason #7 for our Joy is found in God granting us safety (He will not let you go nor be destroyed).”

“Reason after reason after reason for Joy, and every one of them pointed to the One who makes each possible. The believer in Christ cannot help but see that all of this is ultimately possible in the Cross of Jesus Christ.”

“Jesus, the light of the world, is the expression of the light of God’s face shining forth in salvation! Joy to the world! Jesus is the reason for that JOY!”

“Jesus is the light of God’s face! Come all who put their faith in Him, and you will find that you, too, now live in the goodness of God!”

“…in our time of need, we are tempted to look to this world for relief! Where do you go in the midst of suffering and trial? Where are we going to go to get the answers and relief? Where does David go in the midst of his distress? He goes to His God. There, David finds great relief in his trouble: God’s inexplicable favor in the light of God’s face!”

“Our Choirmaster has gone before us! He has graciously heard our prayer! He has graciously saved us and will keep us safe through the night!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Numbers 6:24-26
Romans 3 and 4
Romans 5:8
Hebrews 1:3

QUOTES:
Ligoneer - “To have the light of God’s face shine upon a person, then, is to have the glory of the Lord shine in a special way… indicating His approval of the person on whom He shines as one who is righteous in His sight. Scripture describes the experience of God’s light as the greatest blessing that any human being can ever enjoy.”

Charles Spurgeon -“He will not forsake you: He will bear you through. There is a promise prepared for your present emergencies; and if you will believe and plead it at the mercy-seat through Jesus Christ, you shall see the hand of the Lord stretched out to help you. Everything else will fail, but His word never will.”

APPLICATION:
CHURCH! Behold reason and after reason to rejoice in your Savior, Jesus!

• Jesus is the righteousness of God given to us (Rom. 3 and 4)

• Jesus’ past faithfulness at the cross is the very means of our salvation!

• Jesus receives the wrath we deserve, and we receive the undeserved grace of God! (Rom. 5:8)

• We are set apart IN Jesus!

• We have direct access in prayer to the throne of grace IN Jesus!

• Jesus speaks, “My peace I give you” 

Who will show us some good? Answer: The light of God’s face shines upon us!
Q. What was on your mind/heart when the sun went down yesterday?
Q. What was on your mind the night before?

The light of the world, Jesus, has come into the darkness of this world. HIS LIGHT WAS   NOT   SNUFFED OUT YESTERDAY AND NEVER WILL! In fact… JESUS WILL SHINE BRIGHTER AS THE DAYS GROW DARKER!

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Praise to the Lord
Only A Holy God
Before The Throne Of God Above
I Have A Shelter
Thy Mercy

Psalm 29 is a poetic retelling of a storm by David. It has one goal—Move us to worship. As one commentator said—Psalm 29 is Pure Praise. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 29
TITLE: Christmas in July
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. We Were Created for Glory
2. God is Worthy of All Glory

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”These verses call God’s people to give God the glory He is due. Three times, we are commanded to ascribe to God praise and worship due to His matchless name, infinite worth, and glorious character. And not just God’s people, but the angels as well—(1) Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings.”

“Of course, the angels ascribe glory to God naturally. So the thrice command to give praise to God is really for us. And we need it. But why? Why must we be repeatedly commanded to give God the glory due to His name? We are like the angels in that we are hardwired for glory. God created us for glory. But we have a problem the angels don’t—Sin. Sin has caused a glory war in our hearts. Heb 3 says sin is deceitful. One way sin deceives us is by blinding us to the glory of God.”

“But it’s not just that we are blinded to God’s glory; sin creates a craving in our hearts for personal glory. Instead of God’s glory, we pursue our glory. We live for our reputation. We praise our accomplishments. We worship our wisdom. We glory in our personal morals. We glory in our health. We glory in our respectability. We glory in our bank accounts. Our hearts are a theater of glory wars.”

“This is why we get discouraged and depressed. This is the source of our confusion and contentions. This is why some are anxious and angry. Self-glory can never satisfy a person hardwired to feast on God’s glory.”

“In the second stanza, 3-9, David shows us WHY we are to ascribe the LORD glory.”

“After repeatedly exhorting us to ascribe glory to God, in 3-9, David shows us WHY God is worthy of our continuous praise by describing a storm. Whether the storm was real or not, David's imagery and connections provide a powerful and unforgettable object lesson of God’s greatness.”

“LORD appears ten times in the description of the storm. Seven of those occurrences happen in the phrase the voice of the LORD.”

“All this is poetic imagery for the unmatched power and strength of God. His voice stands over all creation. Nothing is too strong for Him. Nothing is as majestic and awe-inspiring as the LORD. The power of the voice of God is found in other places in Scripture.”

“The imagery of a throne and king communicates sovereign power and complete control. The world may be shaken. Our country may be shaken. You may be shaken. But God is never shaken. He sits enthroned as king above it all. That applies to everything we see in the news and whatever trial you are going through today. We all try to make sense of life. We all seek comfort in difficulty. Psalm 29 is meant to help you do both by holding a God whose sovereign power is unmatched.”

“Did you notice David’s trials are nowhere to be found in Psalm 29? It doesn’t matter what he’s going through. It doesn’t matter what we are going through. God is God!”

“In these final verses, the storm has passed. The earth has been shaken, and the forests are destroyed. But God sits calmly above it all. He is in total control. As for His people, they are blessed with spiritual strength and peace.  This is where the voice of the LORD in Psalm 29 points us forward. It reminds us there is a storm of divine judgment coming one day.”

“Infinitely more terrifying is the eternal storm of Judgment Day. Every human being is a sinner under God’s judgment. Humanly speaking, we are powerless to escape God’s righteous and holy judgment that will be void of any peace and continue eternally. But God made a way in His Son Jesus. Psalm 29 is a bit of Christmas in July. It’s bookends of God’s glory, and our peace was sung by the angels in Luke 2—Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those whom he is pleased.”

“With that song, the angels announced the birth of the one who would bring us face-to-face with the merciful voice of the Lord, enduring the storm of all storms, the storm of God’s eternal justice and wrath for our wrongdoing. Jesus bowed his head into that storm for us, paying the price for all our sin, making a way for our forgiveness, and giving us true peace with God, knowing He will never hold our sins against us but only give us grace, mercy, and joy forever.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 46:10
Romans 1:16

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “Why does David call on the angels? It is because he thinks that his praise and that of other mere human beings is not adequate. David is overwhelmed with the majesty of God revealed in the storm that he has witnessed and is now going to describe. He feels that he needs help to praise God properly. To praise God adequately the entire created order must join in, and even then sufficient praise will be lacking.”

Mark Johnston - “Baal was regarded as the storm god in Canaanite religion, and his worshipers looked to him to bring them through life’s upheavals. But like every false deity, Baal had neither the ability to hear nor the ability to answer this cry for help, and his devotees were left to the mercy of life’s crises. Not so the God of Israel.”

APPLICATION:
- What glory is commanding your heart?

- What’s your modern-day Baal? Self-sufficiency? Protectionism? Psychological therapy? A twelve-step program? Where do you run? Where do you pursue hope? Smash your Baals and trust the voice of the LORD revealed in your Bible. Nothing can happen to you apart from the voice of the LORD. He is always in control of your life. His plans for you are sure.

In the kindness of God, it’s almost monsoon season. We will watch powerful storms roll through our city in the coming weeks. As they do, allow Psalm 29 to fill your mind and move you to praise God for who He is and what He has done for you in Jesus.  

Don’t wait for the monsoons. I began by sharing how we can never exhaust our understanding of the Psalms. Even more, we can never exhaust ascribing glory to our Lord and Savior, not today, tomorrow, not even in eternity. Right now, start with one area of your life where you need to be more intentional

• Conversations

• Priorities

• Thought life

• Perspective

• Eyes

• Accomplishments

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
This is Amazing Grace - Phil Wickam
Sing! (Live) - Sovereign Grace Music
Jesus Your Mercy - Sovereign Grace Music
Christ is Mine Forever More - CityAlight
How Great (Psalm 145) - Sovereign Grace Music