1. Becoming Better
Because He loves us

2. “Do not remember the former things, or ponder the things of the past
“Do not remember the former things, or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 (Amp.)

3. We are not valuable to God because we love him – we are valuable to God because He loves us.

4. But now, O Israel, the Lord who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!

5. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your saviour.

6. I gave Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba as a ransom for your freedom
I gave Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba as a ransom for your freedom. Others died that you might live. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honoured, and I love you. (Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT)

7. We are not valuable to God because we love him – we are valuable to God because He loves us.

8. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. (Matthew 8:2-3)

9. What was David’s response?
In the midst of his challenge he stirred his faith and hope in his God.

10. What was the catalyst for David’s response to such a difficult time in his life?
An unshakeable conviction that because Father God loved him, he was ready, willing and able to do something new in his life.

11. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5)

12. Why can we confidently put our hope in Father God?
Because He loves us

13. What impact did David’s response have on his situation?
1. It shifted his focus from his problem, to his God

14. I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me let us exalt his name together.” (1-3)

15. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love

16. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Eph: 3:16-19NLT)

17. Lifting up his heart in worship to God:
Connected David intimately with him causing his roots to go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love =  deeper intimacy with his God

18. Filled David with the fullness of life and power that comes from God
Infused David’s mind with a fresh power to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is = renewed his mind 
Filled David with the fullness of life and power that comes from God
= opened his spirit to new possibilities

19. “Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on you your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span” (Ex.23:25-26)

20. What impact did David response have on his situation?
2. It released fresh confidence in God’s faithfulness

21. he delivers them” (Vs.6-7)
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Vs.4)
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and
he delivers them” (Vs.6-7)

22. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry” (vs.15)

23. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them, he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

24. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken” (vs.17-20)

25. Fresh confidence in God’s faithfulness:
Encouraged David’s faith, causing his roots to go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love =  deeper intimacy with his God

26. Filled him with the fullness of life and power that comes from God
Gave him fresh power to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love really is = fresh insight into how much he was loved 
Filled him with the fullness of life and power that comes from God
= new things .

27. Because he loves us he is always ready, willing and able to do something new in our lives

28. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him”. (Rom5:8 Messg.)
We are not valuable to God because we love Him – we are valuable to God because He loves us.