Sermon
Gleams Amidst The Gloom
August 10, 2003
Pastor Donald Sheley

We have selected for the summer months to go through some of the great psalms. And in recent weeks we selected Psalm 119, but aware that it's the longest chapter in the Bible and the longest psalm. It has 176 verses. We decided that we would break it down into sections, and so today we're going to read the portion between verses 25 and 32. You'll notice in your Bible that these sections have a name above them. At the top of verse 1 it's Aleph; at the top of verse 9 it's Beth; at the top of verse 17, do you see it in your Bible, it's Gimel. And the heading of our section today is Daleth; now what does that mean?.

Well, we have learned that the psalm is divided into 22 sections or stanzas. It was written as an ancient hymn, and the reason for 22 is because there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. This was written as an acrostic psalm. The first section started with their letter 'a', the second with their letter 'b', and that's why the psalm is divided into its sections. Now the one that we're contemplating today, the Daleth, is the equivalent of our English 'd'. So I'm going to read the portion and we'll just make some comments in passing.

My soul clings to the dust (verse 25); revive me according to Your word. I have declared my ways; and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate on Your wonderful works. My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word. Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth; your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame! I will run the course of Your commandments, and You shall enlarge my heart.

In the opening comments of my notes I found this poem and it reads: Within that awful volume lies the mystery of mysteries! Happiest they of human race, to whom our God has granted grace to read, to fear, to hope, to pray, To lift the latch and force the way; and better had they ne'er been born, who read to doubt, or read to scorn.

I want to stop there because there's something on my mind and heart I've got to share with you. I think in the last couple of weeks we have witnessed something on the stage of organized religion that has been an act and a choice made in absolute defiance to God's holy word. And when asked why such a decision would be made that is in direct opposition to all the teachings that our Bible teaches, why would religion be so audacious and so arrogant to make a leader who lives a lifestyle that's condemned of Scripture as their leader? A decision that I think is a defiant act of scorn of almighty God.

Their reply when asked for justification was, the Bible is only one of many religious books and it is out of date with our times; and then they added, we follow the Holy Spirit's working in community. There was nothing holy about the decision that they made, and the Holy Spirit have nothing to do with it. It was the opinions of minds that have been darkened because of their rejection of the word of God.

This is an act of outright defiance against the laws of God. It's an affront to all true Bible Christians. It was done in arrogance and it was done in pride. Organized religion, even from the times of Christ, has suffered from corruption. And still to this day shame is brought to the cause of God because of corruption within religion. This is true across the board.

You ask the question, are these religious leaders who defy the word of God and scorn it when they make this decision, are they Christians? They are not. Jesus called the Pharisees of His day 'children of hell', and those who defy God's laws have only one eternal destination and that is hell. You say, Pastor those are strong words. But I'm going to back them up now from the Scriptures. I want you to take the Bible that's nearest you and I'm going to read you some Scriptures that you may never have been aware of; it's Romans 1, and I'd like everybody to read it. Follow along as I read it because you're going to be confronted as a Christian and they're going to say, what's your opinion on this matter? And you say, I'm going to take the opinion of the Bible.

And the Bible says: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

Verse 25: who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting. And that verse in the original implies that when people turn against God and His commandments and His laws, He removes from them the very capability of making a moral decision. They have no sense of morality once they deny the word of God.

Look at verse 32: who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. It's very clear, isn't it?

Now go back to the early pages of the Bible, and this is an ancient command given by almighty God. Leviticus 18:22. Are you there with me? Here's what it says: You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. That's verse 22 of Leviticus 18. Look at verse 26: You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off (killed) from among their people.

Look at verse 30: Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God. Now that's what God says. The Bible is the authoritative voice of almighty God. Now you say, what's their eternal destiny? Go with me to the last page in the Bible. Look at Revelation; it's the last page; Revelation 21. God's word is very clear, ladies gentlemen, on this matter, and I wanted you have the Scripture verses so if anyone tries to justify the happenings. You say, look at, here's what the Bible says.

Look at what it says in Revelation 21:8, But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. It's very clear, isn't it? Look at verse 26: And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it (this is heaven). But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

That is very clear. That's why I find what took place in religion in the last few weeks repugnant and shameful to the cause of Jesus Christ. When men and women think they can set this glorious book aside and do things their way, they come under the judgment of almighty God.

Now I want you to hold your Bible, just hold it in your hand, the one you've got there. And I want you to realize what you've got in your hands today. The Bible is the mind of God. It's the voice and the authority of almighty God. The Bible is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, and the soldier's sword. It's the Christian's charter, it's the mine of wealth, it's a paradise of glory, and it's a river of pleasure. It's doctrines are holy. It's precepts are binding. It's histories are true. It's decisions immutable. Christ is the grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. The grass will wither, the flowers will fade, and all the ideas and opinions of man will pass away but this word stands forever. And here in this church I'm not interested in the fads of time nor the departures of religion from the sacred text, I want this church to be founded on what the Bible says. We're going to guide our lives by it and we're not going to deviate from it, ever.

Now with that in mind I want you to just quickly follow me. Let's come to our text. Just have your text in front of you. David starts this section by saying, My soul clings to the dust. What is he saying? Well, the original word there is cleaveth, and we have it translated in the English 'clings'. In the original it means that which is glued to, that which has a tendency to hang on as much as you would like to get rid of it. My soul, what he saying, is glued, it clings, to its sinful nature. My soul, as much as I want to please God, he's saying, I find that there's a natural tendency, I'm glued, I'm tenaciously held by the sinful nature which makes up this human body; it's desires, its ambitions, it's thoughts. And David said I wrestle because I want to please God but I find this glued that holds me to my sinful self.

Now it's interesting the apostle Paul in Romans chapter 7 wrestles with the same thing. He said, the thing that I want to do, I don't do, and the thing I hate to do, that's the thing I do. And he said when I sum it all up, he said, I find that there's a war that goes on inside me as a man who wants to serve God. There's the law that wants to serve God. There's that longing to serve God, but I find myself at times doing what God does not want me to do. That's true of all of us. You know, I've been a Christian for 58 years. I gave my life to Christ at 14 and I'm 72, and I'll tell you folks, the battle doesn't get any easier.

You say, why pastor? Because I'm still living in this flesh and it has its desires and its proneness to sin, and everyday I wrestle with things just like you folks wrestles with things. It's a battle that goes on constantly. So old David is saying, look at he said, I'm going to admit something God, I really do want to serve You but I find I cling; I'm glued to my sinful nature and I can't get rid of it. Paul said the same thing.

Then what he says he said, I'm going to call out to God. Now before I go on -- there's another rendering by many theologians who say when David said that my soul clingeth or cleaveth to the dust, to the things that are earthly, he may have been talking about depression. What he is saying is when I make this journey through life there are times, boy, my soul hits bottom. In fact, I almost become suicidal. Was David, was he bothered with depression? He really was. You go to Psalm 42 and David says, O my soul, my soul, why are you downcast inside me? He talks to himself. Then he answers his own questions - hope thou in God.

David was a very sensitive man. He was brilliant. He was a musician, a poet, a great warrior. He had a massive mind. He was brilliant and in all of that he found himself at times right down on the bottom ring of life just wrestling with depression. A lot of people think that when they are depressed that it's sinful. It's not, folks, it's just part of the journey of life. All of us say, boy, there are times I hit bottom. It seems like all my dreams are shattered. I wrestle with depression.

Look at old Elijah. Elijah goes to that mountain, prays, and God comes down with fire from heaven, consumes the sacrifice, licks up the altar, licks up the water, and I mean, the prophets of Baal are all slain, 450 of them. I mean, he's had a glorious victory. A few hours later he sitting out in the wilderness under a juniper tree saying, God, let me die. David, Elijah, great men of the Scriptures wrestled with depression just like you and I.

One of the great preachers of the past was named Dr. Charles Spurgeon. Dr. Spurgeon had a church in downtown London England. He must have had a majestic voice because when he spoke without a loud speaker system, it's says that 5000 people could hear him even when he whispered. And he had this marvelous gift; at the age of 18 he preached his first sermon, and Spurgeon's sermon is still recorded to this day as one of the great masterpieces of all time.

Dr. Spurgeon, as his ministry developed in downtown London, had this large 5000 seat auditorium built called the Metropolitan Tabernacle. And people on Sunday afternoon, because the main service was Sunday night, they'd line up down the blocks in London waiting to get into his church. In just a few moments the doors were opened, the church was filled, and the rest of the folks had to go home. That great man of God would stand and preach his heart out, and hundreds of people would make decisions to receive Jesus Christ. And when the service was over and the lights were out and the people were gone, old Dr. Spurgeon, according to his own record, every Sunday night would walk the streets all night long in London smoking his cigar and wrestling with depression.

You say why? It just so happens that in this journey all of us take...and what I have observed, ladies and gentlemen, that sometimes some personalities are more prone to depression than others. If one is creative or they're a very sensitive person, oft times in that sensitivity comes depression. I see a lot of you shaking your heads. You understand what I'm talking about. So maybe what David is talking about is one of those experiences in life just like the recorded: My soul, why are you so cast down? Or he could have been wrestling with his proneness to sin and he's saying, my sin has brought me clear to the dust before God. Whatever it was, he's down on the bottom ring.

Look at what he does. In verse 25 the next phrase he says, Revive me according to Your word. Here's what he says, God, no matter what causes me to be so low emotionally, spiritually, there's an answer. Revive me according to Your word. He simply says when life hits us that low and we feel that down cast, just pick up God's word. And oft times I go to the book of Psalms because it's just so...David understood life and he experienced it and he was so open about it. And after reading the Scripture I say, God, You speak to my heart. You revive me. You put new life, new purpose, new goals inside me from Your book. It's amazing folks, it's amazing the power of the word of God -- absolutely amazing. The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword dividing both joints and marrow; it's a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

So David said, God, I'm low; I'm in the valley of gloom, but I know where to find my way out. I'm going to turn to Your word. Now look at verse 26, and with this I'll close. He says, I have declared my ways. What's he saying? He said, God, I'm going to be honest with You. I'm going to make an open confession; I'm going to tell You everything. He knows God understands. It's so foolish for us to go to God and think we're going to hide anything. You know God, I think I sinned, a little bit. God knows. We don't have to cover up anything.

David learned if you're going to approach God and get anywhere, you've got to be straight honest, I mean, wide open. That's why they say confession is good for the soul, and so what David said, God, I'm going to tell you all my ways. I'm going to tell You everything. I'm going to open my heart. I'm down in the dumps. If it was sin that brought me there, God, here's the sin. Whatever it was I'm going to open my heart wide open.

The Bible says if you conceal anything, that thing will drag you. If you keep sin covered with no confession, I'll tell you what it'll do, it will shrivel you. I had somebody come to me in recent years and said, Pastor, I've got to confess to somebody. He opened up his heart and said, I did this thing two years ago, but the result is that my whole life has just been shriveled. He said, my family life is falling apart; my business. He said, I cannot concentrate. This thing is...and I said look at, the Bible says go confess it. If it's between a person or between God, get it cleared up. He said, boy, that's hard. I said, I know it's hard. Sometimes confessing and asking forgiveness is very, very hard, but I'll tell you it's the first step to healing. You'll never start healing until you have open confession, if that's what's hindering your spiritual life. You never will.

Now what happens is confession always leads to repentance. Repentance means I'm going to turn around and change my ways. That's what God reminds him of. David, you can come to Me and confess, but it also requires repentance because here are the statuettes, here are the judgments, here are the testimonies -- you start following them. So confession leads to a changed life, and a changed life leads to a transformed attitude. Now what David is saying in this brief little portion of Scripture, God, I am the bottom, and however I got there You know, and I'm going to tell You everything and I confess it. But I make this promise, I will cling, I will cling to Your word. That means I will follow it; I'll do just exactly what it says, and when I do then comes peace.

It's a simple lesson, isn't it? Because all of us have our times of deep despair. Just go to the word of God and let life revive us from His eternal word, and then make the recommitment; God, from now on I'm going to follow Your word. Let's pray.

Father, we wrestle with a lot of things in life and maybe there are some folks here today who are right down on the bottom, and there are a thousand different reasons that get us there, but today we really need You just like David. He cried out to You. The lesson we've learned today is take Your word, meditate upon its truths, recommitment our life to obey it, and when we do then comes peace. Help us to follow those instructions. I pray this in Jesus' name, and everybody said, amen. God bless you.