Grace and peace to you church once again.
What song are you on?
Somebody said 21. That's what we'll go with.
So 21,
joy, sin and God's strength.
It is a Psalm of David with whom I am sure we are all very familiar.
And today, just for today,
for the sake of time,
I want to just focus on maybe just like the first four scriptures.
I think that'll take long enough working through those.
The psalm starts off the king show joy,
the king show joy in your strength,
O Lord, and in your salvation,
how greatly shall he rejoice.
You have given him his heart's desire
and you have not withheld the request of his lips.
For you prevented him with blessings and goodness.
You said the crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked life of you.
And you gave it him even length of days forever and ever.
Let's pause for a second.
I know for a very long time, just through experience,
when people hear that God is going to give an individual the desires of their
heart,
that sounds very self pleasing. Doesn't it?
That like, man, like God is going to give me the desires of my heart.
The essence of the things that I long for,
the essence of the things that I desire,
God is going to give those for me.
However, we must think about the question,
especially in the context of two, even though this is in,
even though David for one is the writer of this song and two later on we will
get into as to how that this song is very much speaking about our Lord and
savior, Jesus Christ.
But just the words you have given him,
his heart's desire and has not withheld the request of his lips.
What does heart mean right here?
What have you known for heart to mean in this context in the old Testament here?
It primarily means the, the inner man,
our will,
the soul of the heart of man. It is our,
it is the seat of our, of our heart.
It is the seat of our heart.
The heart of man, it is our, it is the seat of our emotions and inclinations,
passions,
appetites and all the things of such.
It is the most intimate part of man and in the new Testament,
it takes it a little bit further. Obviously in the new Testament,
it is the Greek word,
Kardia and then in ancient Greek it was this term also using the new Testament
called the noose and the noose was considered the eye of the heart and we
really do not have a good word to describe the noose,
meaning the eye of the heart.
And so if it is true that the heart is the most inward part of us,
the most inward part of us, it is the seat of our appetites,
emotions and passions.
It is the seat of our inclinations.
What are the odds that God is going to give us the desires that are in there?
Let's think about that for a moment.
My innermost being without the will of God present, my innermost being,
my innermost person without sanctified emotions and passions and appetites is
God going to give me those things? Is God going to give me my innermost desires?
The word heart here is the exact same word that is used in Genesis six and five
where it says and God saw that the wickedness of man was great and the earth
and that every imagination of the thoughts of their heart was evil
continually.
It is also the same word that is used for when Pharaoh's heart is hardened in the
book of Exodus.
Now this term sounds good that God will give the desires of the heart whether to
the author here or even to us because this is a term that is used in Psalms
chapter 37 and four where it says that God will give us the desires of our heart.
However, I want to humbly suggest that this should not be face value.
These things sound good about God giving us the desires of our heart.
However, what if our heart is wicked?
Is God going to give us things that is going that are going to feed our self
indulgence?
Is God going to give us things that is going to feed us being envious?
Is God going to give us the desires of our heart that will support lustful
lustful thoughts or lustful inclinations?
Is God going to give us the desires of our heart that is going to support our
pride and our lack of meekness and humility?
Is God going to give us the desires of our heart that will promote us living out
our own will?
Is God going to give us the desires of our heart that will drive us in the
opposite direction of who he is?
I hope that our answer would be a resounding no because one that is not how
even prayer in and of itself works.
And the scripture and this particular scripture where it says you have that you
have given him his heart's desire and you have not withheld the request of his
lips. The strange thing about prayer is that prayer reveals what is going on in
our hearts.
Prayer reveals what we really want out of life.
Prayer reveals what we really want to see happen.
If you want to know about an individual, ask them,
what are they praying for?
Many times people are praying for whether you want to say it's unconsciously or
subconsciously, people are praying for a life that is actually without God.
Well,
I just want to enjoy life. I just want to be happy.
I just want to experience things in the world.
Now guess what? All those things sound fine and dandy on the surface.
But the question as believers in Christ,
we have to ask ourself is did Jesus Christ suffer and die simply for you to be
happy and to experience life the way you want it.
When he was being flogged, when he was being beaten, was he thinking about your
happiness
or was he thinking about redeeming and reconciling you?
Was he thinking about you just having a wonderful life?
Great movie by the way, my favorite Christmas movie.
Or was he thinking about reconciling you and redeeming you?
Many times in life,
many times in life prayers reveal not necessarily evil things, but very much
neutral things. And by neutral mean that the prayers or the actions don't
necessarily offend God.
However,
the prayers and actions don't necessarily lead the individual into an intimate
life with God either.
And that is why neutrality can be very dangerous.
It's because one
thing that we can't do is be faithful. Faithfulness requires us to be faithful.
It is impossible to be faithful without being faithful.
And so when prayers reveal what's really going on in our heart,
we see some of these examples in the word of God
because we know that God would not give the King here or us anything inherently
bad.
Let's look at what Christ says about the heart real quick.
Christ is talking about in the book of Matthew 15 and 19,
he talks about what really defiles people.
And this is what Jesus said. He says,
for out of the heart comes forth evil thoughts,
murderers, adulteries, fornications,
theft, lying, blasphemy.
And then Christ says,
these are the things that defile a man.
Does God want to give us these things?
The answer is no.
God is not going to give us these things or the causes of these things or the
things that will nurture these things.
So in so many words,
God will not give us the desires of our heart.
And the book of James, it says this,
from where does wars and fighting come from among you?
Do they not come because of your desires that war in your members?
You lust and you don't have,
you kill and desire and you do not get and cannot obtain.
You fight and you war,
yet you have not because you do not ask.
And then watch this.
And when you ask,
you don't receive because you ask a miss
that you would consume it on your desires.
Notice that for, for one moment,
the word of God, James writer in the New Testament,
lets us know through inspiration of the Holy Spirit
that there are times that people will ask and will not receive.
Why?
Because they ask a miss and the very things that they are asking for,
they're going to spend on their own selfish desires.
Sometimes people ask things of God for the sake of their own pride.
I've definitely seen who will go unnamed people who became pastors
just so that they could be called pastors.
And I've seen people who became pastors
just so that they could be liked.
I've seen people join ministries for the purpose of just getting a pat on the back.
Now I know what you're saying, in and of themselves,
in and of themselves, pastor, those things are not bad.
And I would have to agree with you.
Yes, you are correct.
In and of themselves, those things are not bad.
However, if the heart is not sanctified, those things will come to ruin.
If the heart is not sanctified, those things will come to ruin.
Children of God, what is going through your hearts today?
What is it that you have been asking God for?
Ouch.
Does the majority of our prayers inhabit our basic essentials and our basic needs?
Typically they do, and that's okay.
However, if we truly, sincerely believe
that Christ Jesus is our greatest good,
how often is that prayer inhabiting our prayers?
Because if that prayer is not answered,
children of God, it does not make a difference what else you do
or what else you will accomplish in this life, because without him you can do nothing.
If thinking like Jesus, loving like Jesus, performing actions like Christ
are not at the top of the prayer list,
if they are not the consistent prayers,
if they are not the daily prayers,
if those are not the prayers without ceasing,
then your priorities may be messed up.
Nothing should come before love of Jesus,
not life's necessities,
not even love for parents.
This is what Christ said, right?
He said, he who loves mom and dad, son and daughter.
He loves mom and dad, son and daughter, their spouse.
And then Christ says, and even their own life,
they are not worthy of being my disciple.
So what things are getting in the way
of the necessary discipleship that we need in America right now?
What things are getting in the way
of you obtaining that deeper, meaningful relationship that we all want with Christ?
The answer is in your prayers.
What is it that you have been praying for the most?
Is it for your repeated sins?
Now, it's great to ask for forgiveness of our sins.
It's awesome. But what about asking God, teach me not to repeat this anymore?
Because functional grace in scripture teaches us to deny ungodliness and wickedness
and it instructs us how to live righteously, soberly and godly in this present age.
That's exactly what Paul said.
Paul even said, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Then he said, certainly not.
So it's great to ask for forgiveness of our sins.
So it's great to ask for forgiveness.
Are we asking for a heart change in our prayers?
To do the work of Christ, we must become like Christ.
You can't do the work of Christ without becoming like them.
That's like me trying to put a Range Rover engine in my GMC Acadia.
It must be the same make and model.
Let's look at some more scriptures.
Listen very closely to this one.
It's 1 John 5, 14 and 15.
And this is the confidence that we have in him.
That if we ask anything according to his will, that he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us whatsoever, we ask, we know we have the petitions of our heart.
I hope he wrote that one down.
The scripture says if we ask anything according to his will.
Anything according to his will.
For those of us who seek peace from the world, who are constantly disappointed from seeking peace in the world.
Instead of prayers that the undercurrent is seeking peace from the world,
we should ask Lord teach me to have peace in you.
Since you said in the world you will have tribulation, but you said in you I will have peace.
Isn't that awesome?
I mean, we should all crave real peace, right?
We should all crave real love.
Because Disney love does not exist.
Many of us who have been married for at least 10 or 15 years,
I guarantee you what has kept your marriage alive and what has kept your marriage good is not the words I love you.
It is the words I apologize, forgive me.
Disney marriages live forever.
Real marriage isn't like Disney though, is it?
But yet we flock and we desire something that a depraved human being has made up to make us all feel good.
And sometimes we even pray for that.
And that's not even real love.
We tell you what real love looks like sometimes.
Real love is I'm upset and I choose not to say anything mean so I go for a walk.
Real love is that a wife is upset with her husband but she still cooks dinner.
Real love is that the couple, not because of the kids,
but because of God and the sake of the marriage they work things out.
Even when it's difficult.
Even when it's difficult because love is not a feeling.
Love is a series of behaviors.
Somebody thinking, I don't believe that ref.
Take that old psychological stuff out of here trying to be deep.
Well, what does 1 Corinthians 13 say? It starts off love is what?
It's what? That's a behavior.
And what else? That's a behavior. Those aren't feelings.
So once again, love is not a feeling.
Love is a series of behaviors that are dedicated and rooted in God himself.
And regardless of how we feel, that is what we pursue.
And that is why things work.
And so when we pray and we ask God for things according to his will,
we should automatically anticipate,
God, I am not looking for you to make me feel like I'm not looking for you.
I'm not looking for you to make me feel good.
I'm looking to you to make me good.
I'm not looking for you to make me feel good, God,
because feelings are not always facts.
I'm looking for you to make me good.
That promise is worth knowing God's will, then, right?
I would say it is if if we have this promise in scripture that
whatever we ask according to his will, that God will hear us
and that whatsoever we ask, then we will have the petitions of our heart.
Let's start off at the very basic level, then, according with things according to God's will.
At the very basic level, take away everything that you are capable of doing.
Take away how you look. Take away everything that you have pride in.
And when stripped down, what are you?
You are created in the image and likeness of God.
So that is where we start.
Should be the basics of our prayers.
God, let me live out the original purpose in which you created
man and woman to be in your image and in your likeness.
Because when you made us, you called us good.
You see, many people have it wrong.
The gospel is not that people are bad and God came to save them.
Human beings are not inherently bad.
Sin corrupted the image and likeness of God and made human beings bad.
When God created man, he called us good.
The worst thing we can do is to think that our sins and vices are part of who we are.
Because they're not. God made you good.
Satan and sin severely damaged the likeness.
It injured the image. It suppresses it. It taints it.
It made it impure, but never forget.
You are in his image and likeness.
And so sins and vices are not our normal.
They are an abnormal defect of the soul.
And God can heal it.
So instead of prayers being about things,
instead of prayers being about what we want to do in life and what we want to see in life,
I think the smartest man in the world.
But maybe majority of our prayers should be more about becoming like Jesus.
And not about being being friends with the world,
not about loving the world and the things of the world.
Maybe, just maybe our prayers, the majority of our prayers, our daily prayers,
our nightly prayers should be, God, my father,
make me like my savior.
And God, who promised that if we ask anything according to his will,
what do you believe he will do with that prayer?
I think half of the room is maybe thinking,
that sounds good, but I really don't think it's going to happen.
Well, your problem is not the promise of God.
Your problem is unbelief.
Be 12 shot real quick.
Your problem is unbelief. It's not the promise of God.
Our faith and our belief should be based upon what God has actually said,
not on how we feel about what God said.
Not on how we feel about what God said.
Our faith and our belief must be based upon what God has actually said,
not based upon what we feel about what God has said.
If God has promised that if we ask things according to his will,
that he will answer that prayer, then we should believe him.
As a matter of fact, Jesus said this in John 15 and 7,
if you abide in me and my words abide in you,
you shall ask what you will and it shall be done to you.
That is John 15 and 7.
But are we willing to abide in Christ
and have his word abide in us?
As the psalmist also said, your word have I hid in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
Are we ready to hide Matthew chapter 25 in our hearts?
Are we ready to hide everything Christ have said
and the apostles have spoken in our hearts
and hold on to dear life for those things?
And if we feel we are weak, are we willing to ask God to make it so
since we know that it is a part of his will?
And if it's part of his will, children of God, he will make it come to pass.
I only have two minutes left. I have my timer going.
Believe God will answer the things that you pray for that are according to his will.
Just because you do not like how he answered, it doesn't mean he did not answer.
Just because how he answered does not make you feel good
and give you butterflies in your stomach.
I can guarantee you this, he only gives good and perfect gifts.
So maybe the reason why you feel bad is because
he's removing some of that love for the world out of you.
Maybe he's removing some of those carnal desires out of you.
Maybe that is why it does not feel good.
One of the worst things we can do to the gospel of Jesus Christ
is try to make Jesus Christ relevant to the culture.
Our culture is sinful, depraved, and blasphemous.
And it needs redemption and reconciliation.
But the redeemed and reconciled needs to go to them.
I hope you catch that.
The redeemed and reconciled must go to a depraved and sinful and blasphemous culture.
If these things are in our hearts and we accept those things,
we are perpetuating evil.
But glory to God,
if we are in fact fed up with our sins and fed up with our vices,
and we are going to the sole person that can heal and correct the disposition of our soul,
and if we are willing to do things how he has said for us to do them,
then we will be prepared.
But his will must be in our hearts.
If his will is not in our hearts, children of God,
then he will not give us the desires of our heart.
But watch this.
We can ask him to give us the desires of our heart,
meaning that we are open to all the new and truly good and truly loving
and truly compassionate and truly empathetic things that God wants in our hearts.
In that capacity, God will give us the desires of our hearts.
But let us not be fooled.
Our hearts needs to be cleaned.
The Holy Spirit needs to work inside of there.
Our hearts needs to be cleaned. The Holy Spirit needs to work inside of there.
For God to be glorified. Amen.