PSALM 84:10-14
A GOOD YEAR
The year is drawing to a
close. Some will say, "I'm sorry to
see it end, it was a very good year."
Others will say, "I'm
glad to see it end, it was a terrible year!"
On what basis do we decide
what was a good year, and what was a bad year? Usually we distinguish a good year from a bad
year by the events that have taken place in that year.
If we and those around us have
remained healthy, stayed employed and even received a raise, gotten along well
with others, and have suffered no or few major losses, we might deem that a
good year.
On the other hand, if we, and
those around us have lost a job or income, had many quarrels with others, had
major health problems and suffered major losses, we might tend to say that
we've had a bad year.
Very often I have heard people
who have had a rough year of circumstances say they were glad this year is over
and hope that the next one is better!
May I suggest to you this morning, that no year has to be a bad year! Every year can be a good year. You heard me correctly,
no year has to be a bad year. Every year can be a good year.
How can I say this? We measure good years and bad years by
circumstances. Instead, we should
measure our years by our walk with God! If in 1996 I walked
closely to God, obeyed Him, confessing and forsaking sin when I didn't.
If I also grew in grace and
knowledge of my Lord and Savior in 1996, then, I could say it was a very good
year! The basis for me saying this is
what we find God saying about what He expects of us in any given year.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 - Hear,
O
Michah 6:8 - He
hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what
doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God?
John 15:4-5,7 - Abide
in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide
in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the
branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If ye abide in me, and my words abide
in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
I can not guarantee that 1997
will be a good year as far as circumstances go.
It will be full of tragedy for some, complete with loss, hurt and
failure. It will be full of joy for others,
circumstances will just seem to go their way.
For most of us, it will be a mixed bag, some joy, some sorrow.
How can we guarantee that 1987
will be a great year Spiritually? How can we be assured of God saying at the
end of 1997, that Jack Peters or you had a good year?
This morning we turn our
attention to Psalm 84.
The last 3 verses, 10-12 show
us that it will be a good year if:
GOD IS MY HOME - Vs. 10
GOD IS MY HELP - Vs. 11
GOD IS MY HAPPINESS - Vs. 12
If you already have these
notes in your Bible, it's because I've used the outline before, but this is a
new message. We do not know the identity
of the author of Psalm 84, nor are we sure of his circumstances. Some feel that the author was on a Spiritual
pilgrimage to the
You and I do not have to go to
Romans 8:9 - But
ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 -
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your
own? For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
2 Corinthians 6:16 - And
what agreement hath the
If you know the Lord Jesus
Christ as your Savior, then your body is the
1. MAKE GOD YOUR HOME - Vs. 10
Christian, because you are
God's temple, God has made his home inside of you. This is a tremendous privilege. But with privilege comes responsibility.
God has made his home inside
of you, but do you make your home in God?
Because God's temple is inside of you, do you live in that
temple, making time to be with God?
In Vs. 10 the
psalmist begins by telling us that a day spent with God is better than a
thousand spent with anyone else, and without Him.
Why would this be?
When I make God my home, by
spending time with Him, I am spending time with someone who loves me. God proved his love when He created you, when
He sent His Son to die for you, be buried and rise again, giving you hope of
resurrection. God proved His love the day he saved you, giving you a future
home in Heaven, and making your body His home now.
If we truly love someone, we
want to spend time with that person. God
loves us, and wants to spend time with us.
If we love Him, shouldn't we
make time for Him?
Another reason that a day in
His courts is better than a thousand, is when I spend time with God, making Him
my Home, I am spending time with the one I need to worship and adore because He
is my God!
Psalm 103:1-3 - Bless
the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, [bless] his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and
forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth
all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth
is renewed like the eagle's.
Psalm 66:1-2 - Make
a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Sing forth the honor of his
name: make his praise glorious.
Say unto God, How terrible
[art thou in] thy works! through the greatness of thy
power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
A Day in God's courts is also
better than a thousand elsewhere because I am spending my time when the all
powerful God who created the universe, who made me, and understands me. I, for one, enjoy sitting at the feet and
learning from someone who knows more than I do!
This is true of my time spent with God.
A day in God's courts is also
better than spending a thousand days elsewhere, because it is God alone who
answers prayer and gives me guidance.
Jeremiah 33:3 - Call
unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which
thou knowest not.
Psalm 32:8 - I
will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide
thee with mine eye.
My friend, why waste time with
things and enjoyments, that give no help, no hope, no happiness.
These are just a few reasons
for spending our days at home with God.
How are we going to do it?
2 Timothy 2:15 - Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
Psalm 119:14-16 - I have
rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as [much as] in all riches. I will
meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself
in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
One more thought before we
leave Vs. 10 - The Psalmist says that he
would rather be a door keeper in the house of his God than to dwell in the
tents of wickedness.
A door keeper in God's house
would need to be on the fringe of God's presence. He's watching the door. Even if the Psalmist had to be as far away as
being the gate keeper, he'd rather do that than be up close to wickedness.
Sometimes we feel that we are
insignificant, and kind of on the fringe.
This is better than being in the wrong place.
FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR MAKE GOD
YOUR HOME.
FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR MAKE GOD YOUR HELP Vs. 11
Read Vs. 11
The Lord is our Sun. This refers to light! Light reveals the way to go! So often God gives us the
light of guidance. A few weeks
ago, I had a letter to write. I didn 't know what to say.
I asked the Lord, and He revealed to me just what I needed to say.
When it says that the Lord is
our Light, I believe it also refers to purity and exposure. Our God is a God of light. There is no sin, no impurity in Him. He exposes the impurities, the sin that we need
to deal with in our lives. In a dark
room, it is hard to see dust. In a light
room, it is easy to see dust, and to do something about it.
1 John 1:5-7 - This
then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God
is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship
with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Not only is the Lord our Son,
but he is our shield.
He is there to protect us when
we need it.
Hebrews 1:13-14 - But
to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth
to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Psalm 34:7 - THE
ANGEL OF THE LORD ENCAMPETH ROUND ABOUT THEM THAT
FEAR HIM, AND DELIVERETH THEM.
Not only is the Lord a sun and
shield, but He gives grace and glory.
I have had to face some tough
times of ministry as a pastor, and the Lord has given grace.
I have had the responsibility
of being a parent, and the Lord has given grace.
I have had some challenges in
my Christian walk, and the Lord continues to give grace!
The Lord also gives glory.
Another word for glory would be honor.
Think about this:
God gives us the honor of His presence in
our lives.
God gives us the honor of
being His children.
God gives us the honor of
being citizens of Heaven.
God gives us the honor of
being his ambassadors, his representatives with the Gospel.
God is such a help to us that
He makes a stupendous promise.
He will withhold no good thing
from them that walk uprightly.
Sometimes God withholds things
that we want either for a time, or forever. He promises to withhold no good
thing. If He withholds it, we may perceive it as a good thing, but God does
not! What's the solution? Realize that
God may be withholding the good thing because it is not good for us.
We have kept what our children
have perceived as good things away from them because we knew that they were not
good for them. God does the same with
us.
Sometimes good things are
withheld because we are not walking uprightly. The Bible says, "If I
regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me."
We must constantly examine our
lives to make sure that we are walking in an upright way. As we confess and forsake sin, God will give
us every thing that is good for us.
What a God! What a promise we have here of His help!
FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR MAKE GOD
YOUR HOME
FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR MAKE GOD
YOUR HELP
FOR A GOOD NEW YEAR MAKE GOD YOUR HAPPINESS Vs. 12
READ VERSE
The word blessed means
"happy".
The truly happy person trusts
God, and God alone.
When a person truly trusts
God, he or she has absolutely nothing to worry about because God is taking care
of it.
We trust people, don't we.
I trust my phone company to
get my calls through, and don't worry about it.
I trust my wife to do my
laundry, and don't worry about it.
I trust Wade to write my
checks, and don't worry about it.
So why can't I simply realize
that as a child of God, I can trust God in every situation in 1997, and I have
nothing to worry about! This will make
me happy.
I don't know what you will
face in 1997 as far as circumstances are concerned. Your circumstances in the coming year will be
both good and bad.
I can assure you though, that
you can have a good New Year if,
YOU MAKE GOD YOUR HOME
YOU MAKE GOD YOUR HELP
YOU MAKE GOD YOUR HAPPINESS