What is it Like to Delight in God? Part 2

How to Have Fullness of Joy

John 15:11

 

DATE: 25 May, 2008 AM

PLACE: BBC Ballincollig

 

I.       Introduction (John 15:11)

 

A.    Theme this month - Bow the Knee in Delight, Praise – Learning to enjoy God!

B.     Bible words for delight are:

 

1.      Glory

2.      Rejoicing

3.      Joy

4.      Pleasure

5.      Enjoyment

 

C.     These are words associated these days only with drugs, and sex – but they describe a Christian’s powerful feeling about their Lord! At least they SHOULD!

 

II.    Illustration (Psalm 34:8)

 

A.    Last week, I handed out Ferro Roches to everyone, and explained that one of the delicacies loved by people everywhere, is chocolate. We had a great meeting last week!

B.     Here are some more thoughts about Chocolate…

 

1.      When no one understands you, chocolate is there.

2.      Seven days without chocolate makes one weak.

3.      I am not overweight. i am chocolate-enriched.

4.      The 12-step chocoholics program: never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!

5.      Life without chocolate is no life at all.

6.      I want it all!!! and i want it smothered in whipped cream and chocolate.

7.      Chocolate is cheaper than therapy, and you don't need an appointment.

8.      There is nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.

9.      Chocolate doesn't make the world go around. but it certainly makes the trip worthwhile.

10.  In heaven, chocolate has no calories and is served as the main course.

11.  The best things in life are chocolate.

12.  Q. how many calories are there in a piece of chocolate? A. who cares?

13.  So much chocolate. so little time!

14.  There are two food groups: chocolate and fruit. and if it is fruit, it should be dipped in chocolate.

15.  I would give up chocolate, but i'm no quitter.

16.  If it ain't chocolate, it ain't breakfast!

17.  There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate

 

C.     Do you know what the truth is? Only those who have actually tasted chocolate have delighted in it.  You will never just automatically delight in chocolate – you have got to taste it!

D.    I want to understand how to delight in God. I don’t want to just say it either… I want to experience it! But you probably need to see it first in someone else

E.     So we are going to look at some people who really HAVE tasted the goodness of the Lord, and fallen in love with Him, and are addicted to Him!

 

III. What Does it Mean to Delight in God?

 

A.    One might describe "delight" this way - it's what happens when there is excitement inside, a tingle, a spark. When you're doing what you really love to do, or you're with someone you really love - "de light comes on."

B.     It is a perfect attitude – something that over-rides every other feeling, and trial

C.     Does that ever happen between you and God?

 

1.      It did with David!

 

a.       David called God his "exceeding joy" (Psalm 43:4)

b.      David said that complete and lasting pleasure is found in God alone: "in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11).

c.       David not only loved God, he delighted in Him – he thoroughly enjoyed Him!

 

2.      It happened with Paul

 

a.       Paul triumphantly declared “we glory in tribulations” (Romans 5:3).

b.      He was "sorrowful yet alway rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10)

c.       He commanded Christians to "rejoice in the Lord alway" (Philippians 4:4)

 

3.      It happened with James the half-brother of Jesus said, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations" (James 1:2).

4.      Peter delighted in the Lord (1Peter 1:8)

5.      Most of all, it happened with Jesus! Jesus delighted in His Father – that was His whole life here on earth! One long thrill!

 

D.    So, the truth is, to learn how to delight in the Lord is something I can’t quite teach you, but is instead, seen, and observed, and followed!

 

IV. Review from last Week – What is it Like to Delight in God? (Part 1)

 

A.    You Love HIM - You just want to please Him (John 8:29) “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

 

1.      The first and most important task is to delight in who he is, not in what he does – even though what He does is always amazing!

2.      Do you love the Lord? What a question!

3.      It is the first sign that you are delighting in God, enjoying God!

4.      Too many look to Jesus only as a fix-it Man, but  sinners, harlots, publicans all found joy in Christ’s presence! They LOVED Him!

 

B.     You Love Prayer (Luke 11:1; Mark 1:35) “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

 

1.      Prayer is spending time with God! If prayer is more than that, then it is soiled and ruined

2.      Prayer is time with God first, asking for things second – when it is the opposite, it dies!

3.      A sign of delight is the amount of time you spend with God

4.      When else do you spend time just with God?

5.      Jesus loved His heavenly Father through prayer

6.      That’s how everybody knew Jesus delighted in God!

 

C.     You Love Serving God (Luke 2:49) “And he said unto them [Mary and Joseph], How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?”

 

1.      Just doing whatever God wants done – no matter how hard

2.      Jesus loved and delighted in His Father enough to humble Himself and become a man, and have no reputation, and serve (Philp 2:5-11)

3.      What has the Lord asked you to do?

 

D.    You Endure Afflictions (2Cor 4:8,9; 6:5-10; 4:16-18) “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”

 

1.      You easily put up with troubles, hurdles, obstacles in your life – why?

2.      Because Jesus is with you like He said (Matthew 28:20; Heb 13:5)

3.      So few Christians endure afflictions today because of one reason only… because they make their own comfort more important than their convictions (what is most important)!

4.      Hey… there is a cross before every crown – period!

 

V.    Main Message – What is it Like to Delight in God? (Part 1)

 

A.    You Win Souls (Philemon 1:10; 1Cor 4:15)

 

1.      Baby Christians are a by-product of being close to Jesus

2.      We are called the bride of Christ – the love of His heart!

3.      The closer we are to the Lord, the result will be new births! New believers!

4.      The world loves to see someone in love!

5.      And the truth is, not many people are seeing us in love with Jesus

 

a.       Singing hymns and spiritual songs

b.      Having a joyful spirit, in spite of troubles

c.       Turning to prayer instead of anger and revenge

d.      Lifting up the Lord by your testimony publically

 

6.      People get drawn to the Lord when they see us close to Him

 

a.       Faithful to regular church meetings, prayer meetings, Bible Studies

b.      Faithful in our Bibles, even at work, and at school

c.       Faithful in our standards and convictions – people need to see that we are clean, restrained in our speech and our actions, honest, trustworthy

d.      They WON’T want anything to do with Him if we are only mechanical in our relationship with Him – Sunday morning only!!!

 

7.      Hey! If you delight in the Lord, you will not mind testifying of God’s great love, and mercy in your life so that souls can be born again!

 

B.     You Hunger to Change – to grow (Luke 2:52)

 

1.      Now, Jesus did NOT change, but He grew

 

a.       He grew up from a baby, to a child, to an obedient trustworthy teen, to an adult, to a leader – He grew up

b.      He developed trust

c.       He earned people’s respect – didn’t demand it

d.      The older Jesus got, the more people liked Him, and the more His Father loved Him

 

2.      When you delight in God, you never sit back smugly and say, “I am fine, and everyone else needs to change!”

3.      I believe we are living in the most stubborn generation. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems we as a generation have only hardened ourselves towards God, and softened towards absolutely everything else – especially sin!

 

a.       We, as a society have softened towards criminals

b.      We have softened towards violence on TV

c.       We have softened towards the demand for character in people

d.      We have softened towards blatant sin in Christians

e.       We have softened towards divorce and adultery and lying

f.       And yet our society spews out such hatred and venom against Jesus Christ, against godliness and purity, against the traditional family, and our churches have hardened themselves against straight Bible preaching. People claiming to be Christians get offended at just about anything these day!

g.      Man, we are a mess!

 

4.      To delight in God is to see what He is, and want to be like Him, and less like ourselves! It is what worship was designed to be (1John 3:2,3)

 

a.       To realise that God is absolutely perfect… absolutely

b.      And that you and I are a mess – no matter how hard we try

c.       And that Jesus Christ came to change us!

d.      Everybody I meet outwardly wants to be left alone! But we ALL need to admit that we need some serious changing!

 

1)      Dads need to be made human again

2)      Husbands to be made humble again

3)      Wives to be made soft again

4)      Moms need to be made special again

5)      Kids need to be made obedient and respectful again

6)      Christians need to be made fervent again

7)      Sinners need to be made fearful again

 

5.      But… Change does not happen automatically

 

a.       When you got saved, you still had the same history, the same habits, the same character, the same attitudes you always had

b.      But when you got saved, you got Someone inside you now that started cleaning you up, and trying to kick out the bad stuff – at least he wanted to!

 

6.      The moment you stop God from moulding and fashioning you, is the moment that you start backsliding!

7.      How does God change us?

 

a.       Through pains and troubles most of all – so don’t run from them

b.      Through preaching and teaching of God’s word – these are God’s clear instructions on change, and how to yield to it

c.       Through patience – takes time to change us – allow God to work

 

8.      Hey, if you delight in the Lord, you will want to be more and more like HIM and less and less like yourself! Amen!

 

C.     You Devour His Word (Psalm 1:2)

 

1.      Listen to these Scriptures…

 

a.       Psa 119:24  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

b.      Psa 119:47  And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

c.       Psa 119:77  Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

d.      Psa 119:174  I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

 

2.      Jesus WROTE this Book – He is the WORD of God in the flesh!

3.      Not only that, but Jesus LOVES this Book

 

a.       Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

b.      Luk 8:21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

 

4.      We need a generation that devours this Bible… not a few verses on Sunday, but chapters and chapters each and every day!

 

a.       The Bible is MORE than a love letter… it is the heart of God to mankind!

b.      If you get to know this Book, you will know the heart of God!

c.       Memorizing verses, and even entire chapters to enable you to be able to meditate on the goodness of the Lord, and to really start believing that He is truly better to us than we deserve!

 

5.      You cannot delight in God without devouring His word! Period!

 

a.       Don’t try and fool yourself

b.      You certainly can’t fool me!

c.       The amount of time you spend in this Book is exactly how much you delight in it’s author!

 

1)      Shame on you if you say you don’t have the time – when you will take a WHOLE DAY and get caught up in Rugby Fever like yesterday!

2)      Shame on you if you say you can’t understand it all and yet you devour books and articles on a hobby

3)      Shame on you if you can read a Maeve Binchy or Tom Clancy novel cover to cover in 5 days, and yet can’t read 4 chapters out of God’s precious and priceless Word for your heart!

 

d.      Listen to me…

 

1)      You are a THREE PART BEING

2)      Your Body requires food, sleep, exercise, or it will die

3)      Your soul needs friends, love, understanding, and forgiveness, or it too will die

4)      Your SPIRIT needs God’s word, and prayer, and preaching, or it shrivels up and dries out like a desert wind!

 

D.    You Love Others (1John 3:10; 4:20,21)

 

1.      You cannot say that you love and delight in God, and yet not love each other! Period!

2.      Put up with people! Period! Especially when you don’t understand them!

3.      Listen to these Scriptures…

 

a.       1 John 3:10

b.      1 John 4:20

c.       1 John 4:21

 

4.      There is a lot of imbalance in Christianity towards each other. What do I mean?

 

a.       Our inability to love one another just shows that we do not delight in God

b.      When you are delighting in the Lord, you will put up with anybody. Did you hear me?

 

1)      That doesn’t mean that you will just “LUVE” everybody no matter what they are doing, and no matter what sin they may be living in

2)      But that you love them with a firmness and toughness that talks straight, and expects right, and aims high!

 

c.       Love doesn’t mean you ignore sin, but that in rebuking, and correcting, you love them still!

d.      Jesus does that! He has NO TIME for sin, but He makes all the time in the world for sinners, and He loves them (Matthew 9:10-14)

e.       People switch on and off their love so much – love is not like that! It is not love if it can be easily switched off

 

5.      Folks, do you want to delight in the Lord? Then, delight in others! Live for OTHERS! Quit being so “hurt” all the time, and so closed in…

 

a.       Delight not just in your family – funny how people don’t even do THAT very well these days

b.      Delight in the presence of hard people, and lost people – not to be like them, but to be a light for them – love them, as Christ does!

c.       When you suffer, and are persecuted, and hated, you will find yourself understanding God’s great love, and understand how he feels today, and you will love Him more and more than ever!

d.      God loved you, when you were without strength, and when you were wicked, and sinful, and selfish, and hard… (Romans 5:8)

 

VI. Conclusion

 

A.    How Do I Know that people DON’T really delight in God? Easy…

 

1.      No love for His word, the Bible

2.      No time in prayer – no REAL time

3.      No instant obedience to His commands

4.      No patience with God

5.      No confidence in His Ways

6.      And the list goes on and on!

 

B.     Where does a person start? (Psalm 126:5)

 

1.      You can’t just start “trying” to love God… you have to first receive HIS love! How do you do that?

2.      Admit you are away from God – as a sinner, hell-bound, lost, messed up

3.      Disgusted with yourself and with all the wasted time you have spent on stupid things that never satisfied

4.      Allow yourself to be humbled, broken, stripped down

 

C.     And then…

 

1.      Pray, and tell Jesus that you really are tired of your life, and that you are ready for HIM, and you want to follow Him!

2.      Ask him to save your soul right now! Forgive you from all the sins that will ultimately send you to a devil’s hell

3.      Ask Him to begin a good work in you!

 

D.    What are the benefits?

 

1.      Eternal life

2.      Transformed life here

3.      Effective life

4.      Thrilling Life

 

E.     What will you and I be like if we started delighting in the Lord?

 

1.      We will Love HIM more and more

2.      We will not just pray more, we will Love Prayer

3.      We won’t just be doing more for the Lord, but we will Love Serving God

4.      We will Endure Afflictions … with joy!

5.      We will Win more Souls

6.      We will always Hunger to Change – to grow to be like Jesus

7.      We will not just read God’s word, but we will Devour it!

8.      We will Love Others … as Christ loved us!

 

F.      Taste and see for yourself!

 

 

 

Craig Ledbetter |  Pastor  |  Bible Baptist Church  |  021-4871234  +353-21-4871234  |  biblebc@gmail.com  www.biblebc.com