PSALM CHAPTER 17
MAINTAINING HAPPINESS:
GROWING THROUGH FAITH
PRAYING WITH THE WORD OF GOD
1. DAVID’S HONESTY TO GOD IN PRAYER.
A. HE ASKS, NOT DEMANDS, TO BE HEARD. MICAH 6:8.
PRAYER IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT ! IS. 59:2, JER. 7:16.
IT MUST COME THROUGH JESUS. 1 TIM. 2:5, JOHN 14:6.
B. HE STATES HIS OWN LACK OF DECEPTION.
*DECEPTION TOWARD GOD ? YES ! MANY TRY IT.
LUKE 18:11-14, MATT. 7:21-23. ACTS 5:3.
—SOME OF IT IS SINCERE DECEPTION, HAVING DECEIVED
THEMSELVES !
JAMES 1:22, 2 TIM. 3:13 (COULD SOME BE SINCERE ?)
C. HE HAS GONE THROUGH THE REQUIRED FORGIVENESS
TO REACH GOD. *(“FOUND NOTHING”—V.3).
—THIS GENERATION DOESN’T SEE THE NEED.
PROV. 30:12, REV. 3:14.
2. THE EVIDENCE OF HIS LIVING FAITH. V.3.
A. GOD HAS TESTED HIM (“PROVEN MY HEART”)—BUT NOT
WITH EVIL ! GOD TESTS TO SEE WHAT WE WILL BRING
INTO THE PICTURE TO MAKE DECISIONS. JAMES 1:13,14,
I COR. 10:13, HEB. 2:18. (OUR CONFIDENCE: I JOHN 3:21).
—TESTING ALLOWS US TO SEE OURSELVES, AND COMMIT
CHANGES TO GOD ACCORDINGLY. JOB 23:10.
B. GOD’S PRESENCE CAN SEE HIM, EVEN IN THE NIGHT.
IS. 29:15, JOB 34:23-25.
C. GOD HAS ACCOMPLISHED VICTORIES OVER TEMPTATIONS
IN HIS LIFE. V. 4. I JOHN 2:13,14.
3. THE DESIRE TO CONTINUE IN THAT LIFE OF FAITH. V.5.
A. DAVID ASKED GOD PERSONALLY.
B. DAVID ASKED GOD THAT HE WOULD NOT SLIP.
C. DAVID ASKS FOR PROTECTION. FROM THE UNGODLY—
TWO CATEGORIES: THOSE WHO SURROUND HIM ON
EARTH, AND THOSE WHO WATCH FROM THE SKY.
EPH. 2:2, DAN. 10:13.