Finding Satisfaction in God's Loving Kindness

Devotional

Day 1: Redirecting Our Desires to God

In times of wilderness and want, we are invited to redirect our hunger towards God, just as David and Jesus did. This redirection allows us to focus on God's word and presence, finding satisfaction in Him rather than our circumstances. David, in his wilderness experience, chose to focus on God rather than his immediate needs. Similarly, Jesus, when tempted in the wilderness, prioritized God's word over physical hunger. This teaches us that our deepest needs are met not by the world but by God's presence. By redirecting our desires to God, we find true fulfillment and peace. [01:05]

Isaiah 55:1-2 (ESV): "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are seeking satisfaction outside of God? How can you begin to redirect that desire towards Him today?

Day 2: Weighing Life Against God's Loving Kindness

We are challenged to weigh everything in our lives against God's loving kindness. In God's presence, we can see that His loving kindness is better than all else, leading us to praise Him with our whole being. David realized that God's loving kindness outweighed all else, including his health, family, and future. This realization came in God's presence, where David saw His power and glory. By valuing God's loving kindness above all, we align our lives with His eternal perspective. [02:52]

Psalm 36:7-9 (ESV): "How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light."

Reflection: What is one thing in your life that you have been valuing more than God's loving kindness? How can you begin to shift your perspective to see His loving kindness as better than life?

Day 3: Sustained Response to God's Presence

Our response to God's loving kindness should be sustained, not temporary. Like David, we must continually seek God's presence, especially when tempted, to find satisfaction in Him rather than the world. This sustained response requires a daily commitment to prioritize God's presence and word over worldly distractions. By doing so, we cultivate a deeper relationship with God and experience His peace and joy consistently. [04:48]

Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV): "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: What daily habit can you implement to ensure your response to God's loving kindness is sustained and not temporary?

Day 4: Personal Experience of God's Loving Kindness

Solomon's failure to make God's loving kindness personal serves as a warning. We must seek to experience God's loving kindness for ourselves, ensuring it becomes a personal reality in our lives. It is not enough to rely on the experiences of others; we must actively pursue a personal relationship with God. This personal experience transforms our faith from a secondhand belief to a firsthand conviction, deeply rooted in God's love and grace. [08:53]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: How can you make God's loving kindness a personal reality in your life today? What steps can you take to deepen your personal relationship with Him?

Day 5: Daily Dependence on God

Every day presents new challenges, but God is faithful to deliver us from temptation and evil. We can rely on His loving kindness and seek His help daily, knowing He has already paid everything for us. This daily dependence on God strengthens our faith and trust in His provision and guidance. By acknowledging our need for Him each day, we open ourselves to His transformative work in our lives. [10:01]

Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to depend more on God today? How can you actively seek His help and guidance in that area?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 63:3 declares, "Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips will praise you." This verse encapsulates a profound truth that David discovered during his time in the wilderness. In a place of physical and spiritual dryness, David redirected his hunger and thirst towards God. This is a powerful reminder that in our own wilderness experiences, we too can choose to focus our desires on God rather than our immediate needs or circumstances. Just as Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness, we can prioritize God's word and presence over our physical hunger and worldly desires.

God does not promise a life free from wilderness experiences or unmet needs. Instead, He invites us to seek Him earnestly, trusting that He will provide for us. In these moments, we are called to weigh everything in our lives against God's loving kindness. David realized that God's loving kindness outweighed all else, including his health, family, and future. This realization came in God's presence, where David saw His power and glory.

The challenge is to continually redirect our focus to God, especially when faced with life's hunger pangs and challenges. In God's sanctuary, we can grow in our conviction that His loving kindness is indeed better than life. This conviction should not be temporary but a sustained response, as David learned. Even when tempted, we must return to God's presence, seeking satisfaction in Him rather than the world's offerings.

David's son Solomon, despite knowing of God's loving kindness towards his father, never made it personal. This serves as a warning for us to ensure that God's loving kindness becomes a personal reality in our lives. We cannot rely on the experiences of others; we must seek and experience God's loving kindness for ourselves.

Key Takeaways

1. Redirecting Hunger to God: In times of wilderness and want, we are invited to redirect our hunger towards God, just as David and Jesus did. This redirection allows us to focus on God's word and presence, finding satisfaction in Him rather than our circumstances. [01:05]
2. **God's Loving Kindness vs. Life's Offerings:** We are challenged to weigh everything in our lives against God's loving kindness. In God's presence, we can see that His loving kindness is better than all else, leading us to praise Him with our whole being. [02:52]
3. Sustained Response to God's Presence: Our response to God's loving kindness should be sustained, not temporary. Like David, we must continually seek God's presence, especially when tempted, to find satisfaction in Him rather than the world. [04:48]
4. Personal Experience of God's Loving Kindness: Solomon's failure to make God's loving kindness personal serves as a warning. We must seek to experience God's loving kindness for ourselves, ensuring it becomes a personal reality in our lives. [08:53]
5. Daily Dependence on God: Every day presents new challenges, but God is faithful to deliver us from temptation and evil. We can rely on His loving kindness and seek His help daily, knowing He has already paid everything for us. [10:01]
** [10:01]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Introduction to Psalm 63
[00:27] - David's Wilderness Experience
[00:52] - Redirecting Hunger to God
[01:19] - Jesus' Temptation in the Wilderness
[01:40] - God's Provision in the Wilderness
[02:07] - Longing for God's Presence
[02:29] - Weighing Life Against God's Loving Kindness
[03:03] - Seeking God in His Sanctuary
[03:29] - Responding to God's Loving Kindness
[04:01] - Satisfaction in God's Presence
[04:38] - Sustained Response to Temptation
[05:25] - David's Wilderness in Judah
[06:00] - God's Daily Deliverance
[06:39] - Solomon's Lack of Personal Experience
[08:53] - Making God's Loving Kindness Personal

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Psalm 63:1-3
1 Samuel 23:14
2 Chronicles 6:14-15

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Observation Questions:

In Psalm 63:1-3, what does David express about his longing for God, and how does he describe his physical and spiritual state? [00:10]
How does the sermon describe David's experience in the wilderness, and what was his response to his physical hunger? [00:27]
According to the sermon, how did Jesus respond to temptation in the wilderness, and what does this teach us about redirecting our desires? [01:19]
What does 1 Samuel 23:14 reveal about God's protection over David during his time in the wilderness? [05:37]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does David's declaration in Psalm 63:3, that God's loving kindness is better than life, challenge the way we prioritize our desires and needs? [02:29]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's presence can transform our understanding of what is truly valuable in life? [03:29]
How does the example of Solomon serve as a warning about the importance of making God's loving kindness a personal reality? [08:53]
What does the sermon imply about the role of daily dependence on God in overcoming life's challenges and temptations? [06:00]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent "wilderness" experience in your life. How did you respond to it, and how might you redirect your hunger towards God in similar situations in the future? [00:52]
Consider the things you currently value most in life. How do they compare to the value of God's loving kindness as described in Psalm 63:3? What changes might you need to make in your priorities? [02:29]
How can you make seeking God's presence a regular part of your life, especially when faced with temptation or challenges? What practical steps can you take to ensure this is a sustained response? [04:48]
Think about a time when you relied on someone else's spiritual experiences rather than seeking your own. How can you begin to make God's loving kindness a personal reality in your life? [08:53]
Identify a specific area in your life where you feel a daily need for God's help. How can you actively depend on Him to deliver you from temptation and evil in that area? [10:01]
Reflect on the story of Solomon. How can you ensure that your relationship with God is personal and not just based on the experiences of others? What steps can you take to deepen your personal experience of God's loving kindness? [08:53]
What is one practical way you can remind yourself daily of God's loving kindness and faithfulness, especially during difficult times? [06:39]

Sermon Clips

God doesn't promise us a life free of wildernesses or hunger or things where we have want. He'll give us what we need, he'll give us less than what we used to have, people will hurt us, people will let us down, but in those times of hunger for comfort, hunger for even some of our physical needs, I say, Lord, I'm going to go to you, I'm going to long for you. You'll provide all my needs, you've promised to take care of all of my needs, but I want to use that hunger to redirect it to long for you. [00:58:00]

I've seen you in the sanctuary, I've seen your power and your glory there, and there I've realized that your loving kindness is better than life. And as that picture we saw in that picture, we have to put everything that is on our life on one side, my health goes on one side, my children go on one side, my wife goes on that side, my job and my career and my home, and my future goes on that side, and then on the other side, all on that in one side, and on the other side, I put God's loving kindness. [01:38:23]

And I wait and I must ask God to open my eyes to see that his loving kindness is better than everything that I have in my life, and David tells me that he sees that in God's presence, in God's sanctuary. That's when, when I go in God's presence, quite like Asaph in Psalm 73, he had so many things that were troubling him, but then he goes to God's sanctuary and he goes to God's presence, and he realizes, wait, whom am I in heaven on the body, on earth I desire nothing. [01:42:23]

When we face the hunger pains and the challenges in life because of earthly circumstances, whatever it may be, the challenge is to redirect ourselves to seek for God and to go into his presence, and as we go to God in his sanctuary, where it's just him and us, we can see us God open our eyes to his glory and his power. Then it's there that I can grow in my conviction that his loving kindness is better than life. [02:03:20]

My lips shall praise you, I will lift up my hands in your name, verse four, my soul, my feelings is satisfied with marrow and fatness like having a great meal, my mouth offers praises, verse five, I remember you, it's my mind now on my bed, if I'm on my bed of sickness, I think about you, I meditate on you, if I woke up, wake up in the middle of the night, I'll sing for joy, verse 7, my soul clings to you. [03:39:51]

This is not a temporary response as in the Old Testament, this was a temporary response, David was singing this in the wilderness at one point, but another time he should have sung it when he was on the rooftop and his eyes were tempted to lust, that was when he should have also, it should have been a sustained response, Lord, I want to go back into your presence with my words and my lips. [04:33:19]

God can help us every day, even if we're in the wilderness, even if we're feeling a lot of pains on this earth, God can help me in every single situation, God can help me in every single trial in temptation, as it says in one Corinthians 10:13, it is meaningful to say, Lord, every day lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil, God can deliver me from the hands of the enemy. [06:04:47]

I've been struck by how the lovingkindness of God was so real to David and so huge and massive for David that he could say it, I put it in the wing balance and it is better than everything in my life, but there's a warning that I have to make it personal because Solomon, his son, never experienced the same loving kindness of God and never did that weighing in the same way David did. [06:40:47]

Solomon had built the temple and he had built his own house, and he had completed both those and he's built all the instruments inside the temple and he's dedicated the temple to the Lord, and then he prays in that the dedication prayer in second Chronicles chapter 6, verse 14 and 15. He says, oh Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven and on earth, keeping covenant and showing loving-kindness to your servants who walk before you. [07:11:28]

He still has not discovered the loving-kindness of God, but he's always appealing to the lovingkindness of his father David and saying, God please bless me because of how you were so kind and loving to his father, he knew that much about his father, his father must have impressed it into him, God's loving kindness has been so much towards me, it's better than all of my life, but it never became part of Solomon's life. [08:29:44]

Redirect the focus of my hunger away from the wilderness, yes the hunger is real, the pain is real, let us focus on the Lord and seek to grow in our hunger and longing for God next properly, weigh God's loving kindness, put everything on my life, all the things that we think we want, everything count our blessings, put that on one side, and then think about how God's been so merciful and kind towards us. [09:20:57]

Let us seek to make God's loving kindness personal, we can't transfer it to our spouses, don't transfer it to our children, let us each of us seek to have that loving kindness over us ourselves, may God help us. [10:28:07]

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Finding Satisfaction in God's Loving Kindness

Devotional

Day 1: Redirecting Our Desires to God

Day 2: Weighing Life Against God's Loving Kindness

Day 3: Sustained Response to God's Presence

Day 4: Personal Experience of God's Loving Kindness

Day 5: Daily Dependence on God

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Finding Satisfaction in God's Loving Kindness

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