Desire

Pastor Joel Santti: Psalm 37

37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

-"Desire", literally meaning "to covet". There are positive (righteous) and negative (sinful) aspects to this.

-Question: At the core of your being, what do you desire?

-We are motivated by our desires; desires are determinative in our earthly relationships.

-Remember, "desires" of one's heart and lusts of one's heart are not the same thing.

-Proverbs 23: 7-"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he".

A biblical example of a wrong desire

Israel wants a king: I Samuel 8

-Israel desired a king, even though they already had God as a ruler.

-Samuel tells the people what life will be like under a king; nonetheless Israel persists in their desire.

-They refuse the counsel of Samuel and continue to demand a king.

-God grants their wish (see I Sam. 8:22)

A biblical example of a right desire

David's wish: Psalm 27:4

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."

-"that will I seek after" shows David's desire.

New Testament Application: Ask, Seek, and Knock

Matthew 7:7-8

-"Ask, and it shall be given you..." asking reveals our need before God.
-"seek, and ye shall find..." seeking involves active searching.
-"knock, and it shall be opened unto you..." knocking requires close proximity; closeness to God.