The Exalted Word

What David is saying here is God more loving God, but also his portion of the message titled, the exalted word pastor of it on shop of Clearview church in Anderson I Clearview. Our focus is on making Christ visible in the when we worship to the way we serve to the way we love one another.

Come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. or visit us online@clearviewbc.org join us for the rest of this week's message this morning to learn that in our lives as well.

When we go through difficult times.

There is the nature of God that we need to understand how he wants us to live what he expects us as were going through that difficult time.

There's a difference between those two things even though they are inextricably linked God's instructions come from God's nature, but I want to hear me very carefully this morning. God always exalts his instructions over his nature.

Don't misunderstand, they're both important when it comes to us he says worry about my nature. It stands obey me, obey me. Don't compromise my word don't twist my words don't try to justify your sin by reinterpreting my word do what I'm going to do nature instructions but instructions are far more important that we go see how that really works for us. You have a Bibles with you.

Psalm 138 starting in verse one, a Psalm of David. When David says I will praise you with my whole heart. David is going through some difficult times to see that a few moments says I will praise you with my whole heart before the gods I will sing praises to you, I will worship.

Worship toward your holy temple and praise your name for your loving kindness and your truth. You see there's a major and then there is truth.

David says I will praise you for both those things, but I want you to read with me. The for you have magnified your word above all your name God's name is his nature God's name is his character what God says here in this word through David, is that I have magnified my word, my truth, my instructions to you, even above my character, my nature know what people do when they go to difficult times. They reinterpret the Bible. They come up with their own interpretation to soothe their sin, their experiences make a statement to you and I want you to hear me very carefully and I hope you really get it. The statement is this. When you are going to a difficult time. Don't just look for God's faithfulness in God's loving kindness and God's goodness, look for the truth of God from the word of God. And here's a which is very important. Always let the word of God with always let the truth stand as Paul said that God be true in every manner live. Are you saved this morning. Do you know the truth of God. You know Jesus Christ, if not today receive him when we began planning for the first few weekends in the new building. We prayerfully decided that one of the first messages should be on the Bible on the word of God.

We want Clearview to be successful you want Clearview to grow we want clearly to touch many many lives, not just in this community but but even beyond what we want.

The ministry of this church to be solidly based on the book on the word of God. So we chose Psalm 138 powerful Psalm kind of at times very hard to understand but the statement I want us to focus on again is where it says God has magnified his word above his name. His character, that sounds when you first read it. What scholars have done is when they come to this passage. They say things look well you know there must've been some kind of grammatical error when the scribes were copying the text, and so they suggest alterations in the text to make it sound more palatable. So they tried to reinterpret the passage to make it kind of soothe our understanding. But when you go back to the text is exactly what it says God your word you have magnified even above your name. There is no way other than read it for what it is and I have read scores of articles I have turned over dictionaries and everything I could to figure out what exactly is happening in this passage and will a challenge of this morning is let the word of God stand true to begin with. This is a Psalm of David.

Let me know. David was a shepherd boy who killed Goliath with that slingshot. We know David was the king of Israel.

We know David was a powerful powerful man, but we also know that David was a great songwriter.

In fact, 76/150 Psalms the book of Psalms are written by David, but he was more than just a songwriter.

In fact, I want you here with the word of God says about David as he is riding his final song is to be on the screen. I want to follow with me second Samuel 23 verse one God says that these are the last words of David, I want you to see the titles that God's word gives to David the says David, the son of Jesse means it acknowledges his humble beginnings, thus says the man raised up on high, I was referring to the fact how David was raised up to be the king of Israel but also believe is talking about raised up on high as and brought closer to the heart and the mind of God, but is not done, the anointed of the God of Jacob means he is the chosen one of God but is not done in the suite psalmist of Israel. The suite psalmist meeting the chosen the love songwriter who understood the heart and the mind of God. That's what God's word says about David and something else you know David in first Samuel 1314 is called a man after God's own heart. The point is this David more than anybody else in the Old Testament truly understood the mind, the heart of God.

So what were reading in the Psalm don't just read in the go well, you know, maybe who knows what he said no he understood the mind and the heart of God. So when we read the song take those words very seriously. He's not just writing and say okay so let's see what rhymes with Rose.

You know that's not how he's doing is taking us to the inner sanctum of God is giving us the inspired and infallible, inerrant word of God before we begin looking at those words, I want you to miss the context of this passage listed of Psalm 130 in verse three it says in the day when I cried out, you answered me.

David wrote this Psalm to remember or to commemorate that day when David was going through trouble, but we don't know what trouble he was going to make me was when Saul was chasing him through the wilderness of Ziff. Maybe it was when Absalom his son revolted against David. Maybe it was farther back when David and his men were away fighting in the Amalekites came and capture all their wives and their children and took them away captives and David and the men cried out to God, we don't exactly what was the trouble the day of trouble for David but this Psalm Psalm 138 is written to talk about God's faithfulness and truth in that day of trouble. Listen to verse one now he says I will praise you with my whole heart, meaning everything within me God. I have a desire to give tanks to you to praise you for what you have done for me.

Let me ask you very quickly. Do you ever thank God for what he's done for you. Do you ever praise him for how good he is been to you. I know certain people folks every time you talk to them is always something bad that is happening to them is always something that is not working out is always something going downhill. Do you ever say God in spite of my circumstances, you are great and greatly to be praised, ever say that you should praise God and do it with intensity. Do it with passion from all his heart. He says I will praise you and then he says, before the gods I will sing praises to you before the gods when he says that he's not saying that other gods, there are no other gods. There's only one living true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who sent his son into this world to die for us.

There's only one God. Seven.

David says before the God what he saying is before all the pagan nations who were false and dead gods. God, I will boldly declare that you are awesome.

You are wonderful question for you this morning you ever thank God and praise him before others you ever thank God and praise him before the watching world and say, God, you are Craig and greatly to be praise. Many of us when we go to restaurant recon to pray because it's good legal will anybody see is enough that's that's not right. Be bold to thank God for your meal.

Be bold. It doesn't matter who's there doesn't matter who's not there. Praise God and thank him for what he's done for you.

Listen to verse two, he says, I will worship toward your holy temple and praise your name for your loving kindness and your truth that this is where it begins a David Tiegs takes us deeper into the knowledge of God, he says, I will praise your name for your loving kindness you with the Psalm riders and even David mentioned the name of God, they're not talking about a title for God did not send God your Elohim your Adonijah, Jehovah does over that that's not what Dave is saying over here when he says I will praise your name for your loving kindness is talk about God. I will praise your nature. I will praise your character I will praise you for who you are and who are you, God, you are a God full of loving kindness toward his cats. The translators cannot find a single word to translate Said in English, so use all kinds of words you use words like goodness, kindness, mercy, love steadfast love unfixed love loving kindness. In fact, every one of God's names reflects his loving kindness towards us. What is David saying here when he says God I will praise your name for your lovingkindness is in God. I will praise you because you are so faithful to me. He's praising God's nature.

I'll ask again the same question, do you ever get give thanks to God for his name for his faithfulness for his lovingkindness were his nature, but now David does something that baffles us. He says I will praise your name for your lovingkindness and then he adds something to it. He says, and your truth. The word is MS which has the idea of something that is much more than God is faithful to me what David is saying here is God your urine more than just a loving God, but you're also a fruitful God.

Let that sink in for a moment inherent in God's nature and name is not only his kindness and his love to us, but is also his truth for us.

His instructions for us when you're going through a tough time.

Don't just look for God's lovingkindness.

Also look for the truth that God is trying to teach you the purpose of your suffering is not just to feel the warm fuzzies. The prepositional what is it that God wants me to understand about him. What is his were telling me to do. Where do I need to obey him that so many people go through tough times and they come out the same as they were before them into a tough time. There's nothing new there is no growth there is no understanding what I like to hear from people is math. I went to this tough time.

And why God into the word of God.

I'm seeing places where I am not doing what God has called me to do. I'm seeing places where I've been cheating God and I've been holding out on him and through the suffering I am seeing the truth of God's will for is not just enough to say lovingkindness.

Next question is, do you also see the truth of God not hear something powerful. David says for you have magnified your word above all your name. What is the word word really mean. I did some research on it.

You know that word word you magnified your word, it means you have magnified. Listen your commands and your promises, but what what David is saying it.I'm so grateful for your name which represents your lovingkindness but also God, you're teaching me truth you're showing me your commands in your promises. In fact, God your elevating your emphasizing your exalting your commands and your promises to me God because God is a truthful God, he will not just sit back and love you and do the best he can to help you.

He also wants to speak to you. He has something for you to do and to obey you know what people mostly do through difficult times, they reinterpret the truth.

The recaps the truth the recast morality recently. Bold showed me something that was very disturbing.

She said look at this picture of a girl proposing to a girl as a who's that he said you know read the name red than I thought I was there no is that so and so, as so-and-so's daughter. I hope my goodness so sad that that's that's very tragic out of the they must be going through a difficult time. She said not really. Now, in a series of posts.

Mama has decided to justify homosexuality. So the word wherever the Bible says now abide faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is she has decided to tell us how love is supreme and that as long as people love each other doesn't really matter what God's word has to say because that overrides how God has made us male and female levels of it doesn't disturb you should disturb this person has done going through a difficult time because she began her post by saying, as you know, I have been going to some tough times lately and it's been rough and it's been hard and I had to do a lot of examination and an end and check in my heart and my soul as to what is God teaching me. I have come to the conclusion I was hoping to her to say that you know if this happens, I'm still gonna pray for my daughter and I will pray that God will be faithful as I train of the child in the way they should go.

The day will come back and I and I'm trusting and got no she said I have understood love in a whole new way. It will this person has done because of their experiences, their circumstances, they have decided to make their own truth. What is David saying here. Please don't miss this what he saying is God. As I was going through a difficult time. I felt your lovingkindness, but even more, God, I saw you truth because you have magnified your truth even over your lovingkindness because you want me to know the truth and hang on to the truth and obey your truth sometimes and people go to difficult times for this physical problems, financial problems, relational problems, they let their senses go with me senses how they feel, decide the truth how I felt this I felt that I felt the presence of God. And so now I believe this must be right folks is not right if the word of God says something different.

You have to now listen you have to filter your experiences through the truth of God in truth of God filter through this book and if it doesn't line up if it doesn't work out. Guess what trash your experience. My senses can be deceptive. My senses sense of touch feels smell all of those senses can deceive me. My emotions can deceive me. My feelings are the shallowest part of my being is Aiden Rogers with an God does not do his deepest work in the shallowest heart, my feelings, no truth should always trump my feelings filter into the word of God, you, David, something powerful about David. I did read this passage earlier, but if you if you see what God's word said about David and second Samuel 23 in verse two.

Want to see what he says appeared on the screen. The spirit of the Lord spoke by me and his word was on my tongue. This is how David begins his last song the spirit of the Lord was on me and his word was on my toes when we read Psalm 130. Remember your reading the word of God. God is the one speaking to David and saying my word I have exalted even over my nature. Focus on the truth obey the truth know what happens here. Time is running away.

Listen to verse three in this day. David says when I cried out.

He answered me and made me bold with strength in my soul. You truly obey the word of God as you are facing difficult times listen very carefully.

There's a sense of boldness that comes inside of you.

There are two kinds of boldness in the world. What is the kind that ignores the word of God says, and I felt this under Philip, who, that's a false boldness, then there is a boldness that comes from standing firm on the word of God.

The boldness you want is this one there's a bonus over here were 50 people gathered until your your ride what you felt as great as the wave it should be. That is a false boldness. There's a boldness that is over here. You might be the only one believing that but if it's coming from the word of God. That is the true boldness. David says in that day when I cried out, you answered me and make me bold with strength in my soul.

The word of God puts cement and concrete inside your soul and you're able to stand for something else happens when you stand on the word of God in the midst of difficult times. You obey the truth of God. No matter what is happening no matter what your sentences are saying no matter what your friends are. Say, what happens if testimony begins to grow verse for all the kings of the OSHA praise you Lord when they hear were the here the lovingkindness of God when they hear the words off your the focus is still on the word of God.

The truth of God for Chuck. Are you getting what I'm saying to you. Do you understand what I'm trying to communicate to you. I'm trying to tell you that this is not your ideas not your opinions, not the best Christian bookseller out there. Not your favorite preachers unless they're coming from the word of God do not believe rejected. What if I felt it rejected. If it's not lining up with this book.

Satan is a master deceiver. He said that to even the garden of Eden. What you do has God indeed said he made her question the word of God. And ever since he's been doing that.

You don't have to obey his word.

Verse five yes initial saying of the ways of the Lord again is about the truth of God's it's about the word of God for great is the glory of the Lord, the Lord is on high.

Yet he regards the lowly. I don't have time to go into depth, but the proud. He knows from afar you know who the proudest. The person who thinks he knows the truth. You know the loneliness, the one who says I stick with this book and what does God say I know who is the proud and guess what buddy I am going to reject you, but I would accept the lowly who believes my truth, though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me how to start, revive us, folks revive me according to your word. According to your truth. Truth brings revival is not done. We love music here. We love contemporary music, listen John and the rest of the team will tell you it's not the music that's gonna revive you. I love like I love technology is not the technology in the lines that will revive you. I love doing various ministry. But that's not what the revive you preaching that's not the revive you, unless I'm preaching the word of God that revive you, unless the worship is on the word of God unless the programs and everything we do is to magnify the word of God, then revival comes, you cannot have revival based on experiences in senses only comes when truth is proclaimed, though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me you will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me your mercy Lord endures forever. He comes back to God's mercy. Do not forsake the works of your hands. I want to listen to me again very carefully. God's name is God's character his character is one of lovingkindness. He will take care of us as we go through difficult times, but his character is also one of truthfulness and he expects his truth to be obeyed. The Bible is the truth of God, and he expects us to obey the word of God. No matter what's happening no matter what your senses are telling you obey this book in obedience to his word helps us understand who God really is.

You see how it goes in a circle so in closing, let me ask you if David says God you have exalted, magnified your word about all your name and the question for us this morning is how important is this book for you. I don't care was the latest greatest bestseller from wherever I don't care if it's your favorite preacher) wrote that book, I don't care if it's your best friends who are peddling a theology. How important is this book to you because a ministry of clear views go to be solidly based on this word of God as God helps us as it how important is this work to number two isn't the final authority on all your understanding about God. Here's another question. Do you use the word of God to justify your morals and your experiences. Did you know there's something to be said about this. I need to emphasize this, you can pretty much justify anything you want to from the Bible. You do know that right.

You can justify what is just not going to be the truth. You can string together 15 verses and make up theology, but it's not going to be the word of God.

If you taking it out of context. If you're misinterpreting you might be sincere, but you may be sincerely wrong and do you obey his word, no matter the cost.

The cost maybe friendship. The cost may be losing a job, the cost may be into humble yourself in spite of your experiences the most important question is do you know the word of God's out of here verse for you. You know this one John chapter 1 verse.

Listen to what says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father. Here we have an full of safe grace and thank you so much for joining. God has exalted his word above all else should be the foundation of our lives for our faith. We are facing a difficult situation. Figure out what the word of God is telling you. Always word of God. For more information visit us online clear VB.org and for the sermons, notes, check out Pastor Shaw's blog@avalonshop.com