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A Man After God's Own Heart

TEXTActs 13:22

INTRODUCTION:

A.      BACKGROUND.  A WONDERFUL COMPLIMENT.

B.      SHOULD CHARACTERIZE ALL CHRISTIANS

C.      IN THIS STUDY WE WILL In this study we shall...

          1.       Consider some of these attitudes that David had

          2.       See the similarities between his attitudes and those of Christ

          3.       And encourage Christians to be people "after God's own heart."

I.      DAVID LOVED THE WORD OF GOD.

A.      "OH, HOW I LOVE YOUR LAW!"( Psa. 119:97; 47-48 ).

          1.       It protects him from sin( Psa. 119:11 ).

          2.       It revives him in affliction( Psa. 119:50 ).

          3.       It gives him great peace of mind( Psa. 119:165 ).

B.      JESUS LOVED THE WORD OF GOD

          1.       As is evident from His frequent quotation of it.

          2.       Especially at the time of His temptation( Matt. 4:4, 7, 10 ).

C.      HOW IS OUR LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD?

          1.       Do we "hide" it in our heart?

          2.       Do we find it to be a source of comfort in times of affliction?

          3.       Does it give us peace of mind?

          4.       If not, we should give heed to the instructions of David in( Psa. 1:1-3 ).

II.     DAVID LOVED TO PRAY.

A.      "I WILL CALL UPON HIM AS LONG AS I LIVE"( Psa. 116:1-2 ).

          1.       His love for prayer was based upon the fact God had answered him before.

          2.       It was based on the fact that God had greatly blessed him( Psa. 116:12-13 ).

          3.       It was based on the fact that prayer brought God close to him( Psa. 145:18 ).

B.      JESUS WAS ALSO A MAN OF PRAYER.

          1.       He made it a point to often slip away to pray privately( Luke 5:16 ).

          2.       In times of greatest trial, Jesus resorted to prayer...

                   a.       At Gethsemane( Matt. 26:36-44 ).

                   b.       On the cross( Luke 23:34;  Matt. 27:46;  Luke 23:46 ).

C.      DO YOU LOVE TO PRAY?

          1.       Is it a source of peace "which surpasses all understanding?"( Phil. 4:6-7 ).

          2.       Do we "pray without ceasing?"( 1 Thess. 5:17 ).

          3.       David instructs us to depend upon prayer( Psa. 32:6-7 ).

III.    DAVID LOVED TO PRAISE GOD.

A.      "SEVEN TIMES A DAY I PRAISE YOU"( Psa. 119:164 ).

          1.       He praised God because of His righteous judgments

          2.       He praised God because of His greatness and lovingkindness( Psa. 95:1-7 ).

          3.       And he was determined to sing praises as long as he lived( Psa. 104:33 ).

B.      JESUS ALSO LOVED TO PRAISE GOD.

          1.       As He did on one occasion publicly in prayer( Matt. 11:25-26 ).

          2.       As He did with his disciples in song( Matt. 26:30 ).

C.      DO WE LOVE TO PRAISE GOD?

          1.       Do we delight in singing praises to God in song?

          2.       Do we take time to praise God in our prayers?

          3.       Once again, David has words to encourage us in this activity( Psa. 147:1 ).

          4.       It becomes those who profess to be children to praise their Heavenly Father!

IV.   DAVID LOVED UNITY AMONG BRETHREN.

A.      "BEHOLD, HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEASANT IT IS..."( Psa. 133:1 ).

          1.       David knew the value of good friendship and unity( 1 Sam. 18:1 ).

          2.       Also the pain of division within a family (cf. his sons, Amnon and Absalom

                   2 Sam 13 )

B. JESUS LOVED UNITY ALSO.

          1.       He prayed that His disciples might be one( John 17:20-23 ).

          2.       He died on the cross that there might be unity( Eph. 2:13-16 ).

C.      DO WE LOVE UNITY ENOUGH TO PAY THE PRICE?

          1.       By diligently displaying the proper attitudes ?( Eph. 4:1-3 ).

          2.       By marking those who needlessly cause division?( Rom. 16:17 ).

V.    DAVID HATED EVERY FALSE WAY.

          A       "I HATE EVERY FALSE WAY"( Psa. 119:104 ).

          1.       His hatred was based upon his understanding of God's precepts.

          2.       His hatred affected his selection of activities and friends( Psa. 101:3-4,6-7 ).

B.      JESUS ALSO HATED ERROR AND FALSE WAYS.

          1.       Manifested in driving the moneychangers out of the temple( Matt 21:12-13 ).

          2.       Seen in denunciation of the Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers( Matt. 23:13-36 ).

C.      WHAT IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD FALSE WAYS?

          1.       Are we soft or compromising?( Prov. 23:23 ).

          2.       Or are we willing to engage the enemy?( 2 Cor. 10:3-5 ).

          3.       While we are to love the sinner, we must ever hate the sin!( Jude 22-23 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      Acts 13:22.  A MAN "WHO WILL DO ALL MY WILL."

B.      IT REQUIRES ALL OF THE ATTRIBUTES FOR ONE TO BE FAITHFUL

          1.       We have seen where Jesus possessed them, and He was certainly motivated to

                   do the Father's will( John 4:34;  Matt. 26:42 ).

          2.       How about us?  Are we motivated to do ALL of God's will?( Matt. 7:21 ).