SATISFIED

SATISFIED

January 5, 2020

Prayer and Fasting 2020

Monday-Wednesday

January 6-8, 2020

Prayer Service

Wednesday at 7:00 pm

1 million to pray and fast together this year: The Roaring 20s.

Posted online on our sermon blog on January 12 and 13, 2019:

“The Skinny on Fasting”

“The Chosen Fast”

During the beginning months of this year I will be teaching from the Old Testament books of wisdom: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentation.  We are not able to cover each one in detail, but will speak some from each book, and usually not in order. This will be the “Wisdom” series and the title is “It’s OK to be a Wise Guy!” and the key verse is from Proverbs:

Proverbs 4:7 (NKJV) Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom…

ME  I sometimes struggle with New Year sermons. What is our theme for the new year? What is our Scripture for the new year? Who couldn’t pass up “2020 Vision”?  New Year Sermon Bingo...

After a while they all really sound the same, much like your new year’s resolutions.

WE This year I had a verse in my heart that I included in my new year tweets and posts:

Psalms 103:5 (NASB) Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

So, this is my prayer for all of you: “May God satisfy you with good things this year and renew your youth like an eagle.” PRAYER

So, think about those two things: satisfaction and renewal.

How does God do that? How does God bring satisfaction and renewal in my life?

GOD Let’s look at the context of this prayer.

TEXT Psalms 103:1-5 (NASB) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Let’s look at each verse…

Psalms 103:1 (NASB) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless: make much of…

Soul: inner man; mind, will, emotion…

All: body, soul, spirit…

Psalms 103:2 (NASB) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;

Don’t forget what God has already done and is doing. God is taking the responsibility to perform His will in your life.

Philippians 1:6 (NASB) For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:13 (NASB) for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Following is the list…

Psalms 103:3 (NASB) Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;

Pardons iniquities; pardon: word only used of God; iniquities: twisted, bent…

Healing of diseases; includes all manner of sickness and disease; also sin.

Psalms 103:4 (NASB) Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Redemption: to buy back; pit: hell, now and forever

Faithfulness: hesed, covenant loyalty; mercy, grace

Psalms 103:5 (NASB) Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Satisfaction

Satisfaction is the contentment that comes when all our needs met. It comes not from possessions and riches. I have seen many who are rich but not satisfied.

As Christians we live in a tension between two diametrically opposed ideas. The first is a holy discontent with what is not right in our lives. Acting against that is this inward peace that comes from godly contentment, knowing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness.

Renewal

Renewal is a freshness in our soul. It carries the idea of restoration and repair, of making things the way they should be again.

YOU Where is the lack in your life? Where do you burn with a holy discontent? Not with a lust for more, but with a longing for what you know God wants to bring you?

Where do you need renewal? What is not working in your life? What is broken and in need of repair? What have you lost that needs to be restored?

This is where God wants to meet you.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NASB) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

WE Most resolutions involve what WE need to do. I want us to determine what we need GOD to do!