God Who Guides Me “Knowing My God” Series, Part 4 Psalm 139:19-24

FAITH ACCORDING TO DAVID’S CONFESSIONS What is FAITH according to David’s confessions in Psalm 139?  God Knows Me (vs. 1-6): Faith is to personally know God who knows everything about me.  God Is With Me (vs.7-12): Faith is to experientially know the presence of God wherever I go, whatever I do.  God Made Me (vs.13-18): Faith is to know myself in God who created and purposed me.  God Guides Me (vs.19-24): ?

FAITH ACCORDING TO DAVID’S CONFESSIONS What is FAITH according to David’s confessions in Psalm 139?  God Knows Me (vs. 1-6): Faith is to personally know God who knows everything about me.  God Is With Me (vs.7-12): Faith is to experientially know the presence of God wherever I go, whatever I do.  God Made Me (vs.13-18): Faith is to know myself in God who created and purposed me.  God Guides Me (vs.19-24): TODAY

FAITH ACCORDING TO DAVID’S CONFESSIONS What is the difference between ALIVE FAITH and DEAD FAITH?  Faith is to know God; but the true knowledge of God changes us from the inside out—i.e., truth/alive faith moves us from KNOWING to LIVING (James 2:17).  Why? Our knowledge of God impacts us to emulate God’s character. [God’s “communicable” (shared) attributes]. 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

FROM “KNOWING” TO “LIVING”: THREE RESULTS OF DAVID’S FAITH IN GOD 1)Loyalty to God’s Name: “Your enemies take your name in vain, God!” 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! 20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain! (vs.19-20)  In knowing God, the sheer difference to David (and to us) was the fact that God is holy and man is sinful.  David moves from knowing God to living the holiness of God first by taking a stand of loyalty to God’s name among sinful, hypocritical people.  Our faith must also lead us to unfaltering loyalty to the name and glory of God (i.e., separation from evildoers & passion for God’s glory).

3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. 4 I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. 5 I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. Psalm 26:3-5 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. Psalm 86:9

FROM “KNOWING” TO “LIVING”: THREE RESULTS OF DAVID’S FAITH IN GOD 2)Imitating God’s holiness: “I hate them [evil] with complete hatred.” 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. (vs.21-22)  David’s heart was impacted by God and convinced for complete allegiance to God’s holiness.  In imitating God’s holiness, David identifies himself with what God feels toward evil and sin—holy hatred, anger, grievance of God.  Our faith must also lead us to this identification with God as the ONE whom we emulate to be holy.

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1Peter 1: Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. 136 My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. Psalm 119:53,136 4 "Blessed are those who mourn… 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Matthew 5:4,6

FROM “KNOWING” TO “LIVING”: THREE RESULTS OF DAVID’S FAITH IN GOD 3)Seeking God’s guidance: “Search me, try me, lead me!” 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (vs.23-24)  David turns to prayer, knowing that his pursuit of holiness begins with his own heart.  David’s prayer is threefold: (1) Search me and know my heart; (2) Try me and reveal the things that grieves you, God; and (3) Lead me in your way to the everlasting life.  Our faith also must lead us to the ultimate realization that holy living begins within us through our submission to the leading of the Spirit.

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10 "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." Jeremiah 17: The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace… 13 …if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God Romans 8:6,13b-14 [NIV]

If You Want God to Know You and Guide You… Our prayer should be that we want God to know us. This doesn't mean we want God to get information about us; it means that we have nothing to hide from Him. We hide from God with our words. When we lie to other people, we're lying to ourselves, and we are lying to God. God has purposes for us to fulfill. He wants us to explore new territory and expand the horizons of our lives. Let God put you through the furnace (if He needs to) to remove the dross from your life. Let Him prepare you for what He has planned for you. Our prayer also should be that we want God to guide us... When we are willing to obey, God is more than willing to reveal His way to us. He guides us through His Word and through prayer. Don't be stingy with God, giving Him only a minute or two of your time every day. He also guides us through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, through circumstances and through His people... If you want God to know you and guide you, He will. You'll know yourself better and know Him better. And then He will guide you and lead you in an everlasting way. - Warren Wiersbe

RECAP: THE LESSONS ABOUT FAITH (PSALM 139) What is the difference between ALIVE FAITH & DEAD FAITH?  vs. 1-6 Faith is to personally know God who knows everything about me.  vs.7-12Faith is to experientially know the presence of God wherever I go, whatever I do.  vs.13-18Faith is to know myself in God who created and purposed me.  vs.19-24Faith is to live by God’s holy guidance from the inside out.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.Examine whether your faith is ALIVE OR DEAD.  Confront any incongruent living from knowing God.  Repent and turn to God by FAITH. 2.Be AN IMITATOR OF GOD in pursuing holiness as beloved children.  Pursue God’s holiness through identifying with God and separating from evil.  Declare your unfaltering loyalty to God’s name and glory. 3.Seek GOD’S GUIDANCE in the way of everlasting.  Ask and submit to the leading of the Spirit.  Begin with your own real transformation/holiness.