Sunday October 27, 2013 Phone: Message: Christian Life Text: Psalm 57:1-11. My Heart Is Fixed

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1 Sunday October 27, 2013 Phone: Pastor David Miklas Message: Christian Life Text: Psalm 57:1-11 My Heart Is Fixed In the Old Testament, David wrote many Psalms as a result of his experiences in life. Psalm 57 is one of these Psalms and is easily outlined. In verses 1-6 David is pouring his heart out in PRAYER, Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (2) I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. (3) He shall send from heaven, and save from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. (4) My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. (5) Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. (6) They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. In verses 7-11 David is pouring his soul out in PRAISE, My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. (8) Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. (9) I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. (10) For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. (11) Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. The key to Psalm 57 is found in verse 7, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. The word "fixed" implies being prepared. David is saying "My heart is prepared, O God, My heart is prepared..." If you are going to maintain a correct heart attitude you have to work at it. It's not something that comes easy. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy HEART with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." You are not going to automatically have the right kind of HEART. Listen, "Anything that is right you have to make yourself do it." This is true because we don't automatically do what we are supposed to do. If you don't plan to read your BIBLE today you won't. If you don't plan to PRAY daily you won't. If you don't plan to come to CHURCH tonight you won't. If you don't plan to WIN SOULS to Jesus you won't. There is a part of us called the flesh that we battle night and day. Therefore, we have to work at maintaining a correct heart attitude, keeping our heart prepared all the time. The HEART IS THE KEY. Matthew 12:34-35, "Out of the abundance of the HEART the mouth speaketh, A good man out of the good treasure of the HEART bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." Romans 10:10, "For with the HEART man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation." In Psalm 139:23-24 David said, " search me and know my HEART; try me and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Here in Psalm 57 David is saying literally, "My heart is prepared." When David wrote these words, we know he was in a cave because of the superscription found at the heading of this Psalm. It reads, " of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave." Page 1

2 The phrase regarding "the cave" appears in only one other superscription - that being Psalm 142. From I Samuel 22, we believe it was in the cave of "Adullam" where David was hiding from Saul and writing these Psalms. What a place to live, in a cave. Some believe that David was on the run from King Saul for 12 years. That's a long time. Do you remember the circumstance that led David to run from Saul and live in a cave? He did what was right. He obeyed His Father. David, the little shepherd boy, got up one morning, and his father directed him to take some food to his brothers who were fighting with the army of Israel against the army of the Philistines. David obeys his daddy and takes the food to his brothers. This little shepherd boy gets there and sees this 9'6'' giant on the Philistine side who is defying God. In I Samuel 17:29 David questions his brothers, What is the matter with you, why hasn't someone gone up against this giant? and then makes a profound statement, "Is there not a cause?" David puts his life on the line as he volunteers to fight this giant. He slays Goliath, and wins the battle for King Saul and Israel. As a result, David becomes an instant hero as the people sing the praise of David, which arouses King Saul's jealousy. Oh, how Saul hates David's popularity! King Saul falls into such a fit of hostility that he becomes dead set on murdering David. Think about it. For perhaps 12 years, though innocent before God, obedient to his father and loyal to King Saul, David literally ran for his life and lived as a fugitive in the hills and caves of Judea. Can you imagine David waking up in the caves and saying, "I wonder where Saul's is? I wonder what's over the next hill." To put it bluntly, David fell into a pit of self-pity in those caves. No doubt he thought at times, "Why me?" There are two facts of life we all learn sooner or later, and most of you who are old enough already know them. Number 1: "Life is not fair!" Bad things do happen to good people. And like it or not, good things do happen to bad people. Some of the best people in our churches have the most problems. David did what was right; he obeyed his father. He killed Goliath and won the victory for Israel. He didn t do anything to deserve Saul s wrath. Number 2: "People are cruel!" Those that are the cruelest seem to get along just fine. Have you ever begun to pray and offered the following advice, "Lord if you want to have it in for somebody today, I can provide you a list. One fellow said, "I would like to be God for one day. I could get a lot of things changed and a lot of people straightened out if I had but one day." Let's face it, life isn't fair! Welcome to the norm if people don t treat you right. Also, people are cruel at times - even God's people! By the way, what cave experience you are facing today? That anxiety you wake with every day and wish wasn't there, That bad dream you wish would go away, That unresolved problem from which you have been hiding for years, and It hunts you, it's after you, and it affects you greatly. Page 2

3 Maybe it's a physical problem. Perhaps like the Apostle Paul this physical problem is one of those "thorns in the flesh." God's people do have physical problems. They didn't ask for them. They didn't seek them out. But they have them. Maybe it's a financial problem. Maybe you have done your best to keep your finances in order, but you still have a hard time making ends meet. Maybe it's a problem at work. It's the job. Or maybe it's the boss. Or perhaps, in your case, you are having a problem with an employee. There is something you are facing on the job day after day that's just not going well. Maybe it's a marital problem. Just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you don't have problems in your marriage. Maybe it's over finances, or communication or maybe your wife sees it one way and you another. Maybe it's a problem with your kids. God gave Mary Lou and me 5 children and 20 grandchildren. I thank God for each of them. In fact, our children grew up too fast, because now our nest is empty. While in our home, they were not perfect, but they were good children who loved the Lord. Now they have passed on that love to their own families. You know a lot of really good people have problems with their children. We as Christians are not to look down on people when their children mess up; we are to help them. Think about it. If your children mess up wouldn't it be good for others to pray for them? It would be good for some ladies to put their arms around that mom and say, "We are here for you, we are praying for you." It would be good to have some men come to that dad and say, "We are here for you, we are praying for you." That's the way we ought to love and serve one another in the body of Christ. Maybe you have a child that is breaking your heart because s/he has gone astray. You feel like you are in a cave. Maybe your cave experience involves a problem with someone at church. Someone has mistreated you, or misunderstood you, or in some way discouraged you. Every adult in this service has some kind of heartache, trouble, trial, or burden. Personally, I don't know what your cave experience is. By the way, if you haven't had a cave experience yet eventually you will. David said "My heart is prepared, O God, My heart is prepared..." I believe it s better for us to have our hearts prepared before we find ourselves in a cave. If our hearts are not prepared we may be the losers as we become bitter and blame God or fight with others. So what is God s plan for David? He is preparing him to sit on a throne as one of the greatest Kings Israel has ever known. At times, God takes you through a cave experience in order to prepare you to minister and to serve others lovingly, tenderly and sympathetically. In some cases, He might actually have to break you in order to prepare you. David starts out saying in verse 1, Page 3

4 "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me." Isn't that interesting? He didn't' ask for justice. David didn't say, "I didn't deserve this." You know why? Because "his HEART was prepared." "Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge." Now to walk in someone s shadow, you have to be close to them. Do you see his faith? Someone said, "Caves make good closets for prayer." In verse 1-6 David is pouring out his heart to God in prayer. David is in the cave. David didn't ask to be there. He doesn't want to be there, but he is there. Verses 7-11 reveal three qualities of a "fixed heart" that help to prepare David for this cave experience. Notice first, HIS TRIUMPHANT SPIRIT, verse 7 "I will sing and give praise." Now if we are not careful when we get in a cave all we will see is the cave and we will forget the blessings of God. God is not good just because we have our health. What about someone who doesn't have good health? Isn't God also good to them? God is not good just because we have a job or a lovely home. What about those who do not have what we have, isn t God just as good to them? God is not good just because we have money. God is not good just because our kids are doing well. Those blessings are the manifestation of God's goodness. In reality, GOD IS GOOD BECAUSE HE IS GOD! Amen!! Psalm 100:5, "For the Lord is GOOD; His MERCY is everlasting, and his TRUTH endureth to all generations." Jeremiah 33:11, "...Praise the LORD OF HOSTS; for the Lord is GOOD; for His mercy endureth forever..." Nahum 1:7, "The Lord is GOOD, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth those who trust in him." Psalm 27:13, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the GOODNESS of the LORD in the land of the living." Psalm 34:8, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is GOOD; blessed is the man who trusteth in him." Perhaps you have sung the words to this song: The Lord is GOOD; Tell it wherever you go. The Lord is GOOD; Tell it that others may know. Tell of his blessings and tell of his love, Tell how he's coming from heaven above. The Lord is GOOD, tell it wherever you go! You know, we all have something for which to praise God. Remember the words our Lord taught His disciples: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name." As a believer in Jesus Christ, we have a heavenly father. If you want to get on shouting ground, just start praising His name even though you may also say, I am in a cave. That's alright, just praise His name. David said "I will sing and give praise." I am reminded that: My God is ELOHIM, the God who created everything. I think He can handle my cave experience. My God is EL-SHADDAI, the breasted one who is able to meet my every need. My God is JEHOVAH, Yahweh, the great I AM, present tense, right now, all that I need today. My God is JEHOVAH-JIREH, who provides for me. My God is JEHOVAH-NISSI, my banner over me in time of trouble. My God is JEHOVAH-RAPHA, my great physician, the healer. My God is JEHOVAH-ROHI, a good shepherd for a dumb, defenseless sheep. He is JEHOVAH-SHALOM, my peace on the inside. Page 4

5 When we start thinking about "Our Father, in heaven and His hallowed Name," we realize that we have a lot for which to praise Him. Amen!! Get your heart RIGHT, and get your heart PREPARED, so that while you are having a cave experience, you don t just sit there and let the world go by as you whine, "Poor me. Why me?" Have you noticed that if you sit in your cave and suck your thumb as the world goes by, the person or crowd that you think caused your problem goes right on living it up and having a good time? Listen, being in the cave hurts. It's not easy to have people disappoint, hurt, and criticize you. It's not easy to day after day face physical, financial, family, people, or job problems. I know what I am talking about. Psalm 57 is speaking to me this morning as well as I hope also to you. If you have a FIXED HEART, you are going to have a TRIUMPHANT SPIRIT. "I will sing and give praise." In verse 8 we read, "Awake up, my glory..." David is saying even a cave experience can be a time of glory. Those that have spiritual triumph are those who have gone through cave experiences. I don't know who the best Christian is in this service, but I can guarantee you one thing, they have had trials. However, they still have joy in their heart. They still love Jesus. Again in verse 8 we read, " awake psaltery, and harp." David is saying that he is not going to sit around in the cave and mope. He is going to use this time to worship God. He is going to still praise God. God is still good - good because he is God. Once again from verse 8 we read, " I myself will awake early." Here I believe David is saying, Early in the morning, before problems come and people mess up my plans and the old Devil tries to get his hands on me, I am going to count my blessings and just start praising the Lord. Now we have our problems, and they are real. I am not minimizing them, but we also have a lot of blessings. God is so good, isn't He? AMEN! Now we can sit around and bemoan our problems and stare at the cave, but if we do that, we are the losers. Or we can AWAKE early in the morning and in triumphant praise, praise our God who is so good. It s our choice. David said I am going to awake early in the morning and get my musical instruments and start counting my blessings - regardless. With a FIXED HEART we will have a TRIUMPHANT SPIRIT. Notice second, HIS TESTIMONY: When you have a FIXED HEART, your reputation and God's reputation means something. In verse 9 David said, "I will praise thee, O Lord, among the peoples." This perhaps is referring to God's people. They are watching how you handle your cave experience. They are watching your response to your cave experience. They may be weak or new Christians watching you. They may be your children or grandchildren who are watching your cave experience and how you and I handle it. Notice David also said in verse 9 "I will sing unto thee among the nations." The nations could refer to the unsaved world as they carefully watch our actions and reactions in times of Page 5

6 suffering and despair. They are looking to see if our faith in Christianity is for real. You had better believe I have gone through a number of cave experiences, and so has my family. I am not preaching this as theory, but out of reality. Over the years in the ministry, we have had good people, I mean good people, turn on us. People we have helped, served and loved, even people we have led to Christ, have turned on us and tried to destroy us and our ministry. That's when it really hurt, and I wanted to quit so bad I could taste it. That's when I stayed awake at night, and cried out to God Lord I just can't take it any longer. I've been there. That's why this Psalm means so much to me. A fixed heart brings a TRIUMPHANT SPIRIT and a TESTIMONY that God certainly is real. He is, isn't He? His grace is sufficient, Amen! By the way, there is no easy way to get through the cave. But God knows what He is doing. Notice third, HIS TRUST, verses Would you focus on the phrase, "Thy truth is above the clouds." Now, while you are in the cave experience: You need to keep on reading the Word of God even if you don t feel like it. You need to keep on going to church even if you don t want to. You need to keep on serving God whether you want to or not. Just hang in there, because His truth, the Word of God, will bring you through. A fixed heart in the time of a cave experience will bring TRIUMPH, TESTIMONY and TRUST. I challenge you to hang onto this statement: Times of travail can be times of birth. Today's suffering can mean tomorrow's glory. God is not accomplishing all His purposes today, nor is He explaining all His plans. However, God is thinking about you personally, and is planning for you in ways that you could never understand, let alone imagine. LET GOD HAVE HIS WAY, REST IN HIM. PLACE YOUR TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST! Maybe you are here this morning, but feel like you are hiding in a cave and flat on your face in self-pity. I encourage you to get on your knees and pour out your burden to the Lord, so you can rise to your feet rejoicing and singing because God "hath dealt bountifully with him." Maybe this morning you are facing the dismal prospect of eternity with no hope in your soul. What you need is the forgiveness and grace of Jesus, who loved you with an everlasting love at the cross of Calvary, where he shed His blood to cover your sins. Now, at this very moment, in simple faith, He will save your soul and give you Life Eternal. Why not trust Him? *********************************************************************** If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon, My Heart Is Fixed then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you. Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in Acts 16:31,...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay Page 6

7 my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation. If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, let me know. Please send an to pdmikbbm@aol.com and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life. The Weekly SERMON was sent as a ministry of Bible Baptist Ministry, 48 Alexie Rd., Hanover Township, PA Privacy policy: your address will not be sold, or shared with any third party. Copy write permission: Because the Weekly SERMONS will be reproduced into other formats, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: The Weekly SERMON in its original form, without any changes, may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and copies may be printed for individual or ministry purposes, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of the Weekly SERMON must set forth in full the heading that is given before each Weekly SERMON. Any other request for use, please contact Bible Baptist Ministries at pdmikbbm@aol.com or by phone at Page 7