Scripture Reading: Psalm 139:7-12
Where Are You Running?
Intro.
1. God knows us perfectly, Psa. 139:1-6.
2. We live in the presence of God; nothing is hidden from His eyes, Psa. 139:7-12.
3. How futile it is to try to ignore God and run from Him.
I. MANY RUN FROM GOD.
A. Running from the Responsibility of God’s Work.
1. Jonah, Jonah 1:2-3; 3:2; 4:1-2.
2. Applications today:
a. Local church: Every member does his share (elders, deacons, preacher, members), Eph. 4:11-12, 16.
b. Home: Fathers, Mothers, Children, Eph. 6:1-4.
c. Citizens, Rom. 13:3-7.
B. Running from God’s Judgment, but Finding No Escape.
1. Samaria, Isa. 2:19; Hos. 10:8 (Amos 6:3).
2. Judah, Jer. 25:35.
3. Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Luke 23:30.
4. Rome, Rev. 6:12-17.
5. The last day, 1 Ths. 5:3 (no escape).
6. Applications today:
a. Postmodernism in America (no moral absolutes); Prov. 14:34; Jer. 25:30-31.
b. Denial of sin and its results, Gal. 6:7-8; Rom. 6:23.
c. False sense of security causes rejection of repentance, 1 Ths. 5:3; Heb. 3:7-8.
II. THE FAITHFUL RUN WITH GOD.
A. David Ran with God to Battle, 1 Sam. 17: 47-50.
1. David saw the cause as righteous, 1 Sam. 17:29.
2. Faith, 1 Sam. 17:37; Heb. 11:34 (valiant in battle).
3. Applications today:
a. Your fight against the devil is real, 1 Pet. 5:8.
b. You will fail without God’s armor protecting you, Eph. 6:10-13.
c. Battle against false teaching, worldliness and compromise with the world, Jude 3; Eph. 5:11; Rom. 13:12-14.
III. THE PRESUMPTUOUS RUN AHEAD OF GOD.
A. Old Testament Examples:
1. False prophets, Deut. 18:18-20 (Jer. 14:14).
2. Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 10:1-3.
3. King Saul, 1 Sam. 13:8-14.
B. Present-day Examples:
1. Despising authority by adding what God has not approved: Instrumental music in worship; Centralization of churches, false teachers, 2 Pet. 2:10.
2. Taking vengeance instead of giving place to God’s wrath, Rom. 12:17-19.
3. Self-willed rather than obedient and holy, 1 Pet. 1:13-16.
IV. ALL SHOULD RUN TO GOD.
A. The Lost: To Obtain Mercy and be Saved, Luke 15:17-18, 21.
1. To become a Christian, Acts 16:33-34.
-God runs to meet you and save you! Lk. 15:20, 22-24
2. God is anxious to forgive you, 1 Tim. 2:3-4.
B. Christians:
1. To be forgiven when we sin, 1 Jno. 1:9; 2:1.
2. To obtain God’s help in times of need, Heb. 4:15-16.
Conclusion
1. How are you running? 1 Cor. 9:24-27
2. Set your goal (24), exercise self-control (25), run with confident faith (26) and discipline yourself (27).
3. Run from sin, run after what is upright, fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life, 1 Tim. 6:11-12.
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: May 23, 2014