God is Our Guarantee for Salvation

1. Read: Psalm 119:121-128

2. About the Text:

1) The Psalmist prays for God to be a surety, or a guarantee, for good.

2) A guarantee is what you lean upon when something fails or goes wrong.

3) If a product is guaranteed, that means if it breaks, you can return or replace it for free.

4) With a guarantee, there is always something that one must do.

a. It may be as simple as calling the company and asking for a replacement.

b. You may have to send the broken product back.

c. You may have to show the receipt of purchase.

5) God is a guarantee for us against evil in the world.

a. The evil done by others.

b. The evil done by us.

6) God is a guarantee for His servants when they do His will.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Pride is the source of injustice and oppression.

1) From others.

2) From Self.

2. Pride is a problem for self.

1) “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom” (Pro.11:2).

2) “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

3. Pride is a problem for others.

1) “The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised” (Psalm 10:2).

2) “A proud and haughty man—‘Scoffer’ is his name; He acts with arrogant pride” (Proverbs 21:24).

4. We oppose pride by being humble and following God’s word.

1) “A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor” (Proverbs 29:23).

2) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others” (Phil.2:3-4).

5. For God to be our guarantee we must oppose pride.

1. We seek salvation because of the problems that result from pride.

1) Salvation from others.

2) Salvation from self.

2. The Psalmist sought God’s salvation diligently.

1) Do our eyes fail from seeking salvation so diligently?

2) The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure and a pearl of great price (Matt.13:44-46).

3) Do we seek “God’s righteous word”?

4) We must hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matt.5:6).

3. This also means falling upon God’s mercy to learn His statutes.

1) Learning can be a difficult process.

a. “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).

b. Paul learned to be content (Phil.4:11).

2) We need God’s mercy to learn well.

3) We don’t want to harden ourselves against God and His truth.

4) “Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God” (Prov.30:8-9).

4. For God to be our guarantee we must seek salvation!

1. This may sound bold to say to God, but God wants us to be bold and pray.

1) “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Eph.3:12).

2) “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

2. Jesus wants us to pray.

1) “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).

2) “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess.5:17).

3. For God to be our guarantee we must pray!

1. We must love God’s commandments more than the most precious thing we have.

1) “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10).

2) “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2-3).

2. We must consider God’s precepts to be right!

1) “Then they asked Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth’” (Luke 20:21).

2) Psalm 119:151 – “You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth.”

3) John 17:17 – God’s word is truth.

3. We must hate every false way.

1) This means to put it away from us.

2) Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.”

3) “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

4. For God to be our guarantee we must hate every false way.

1. God is our guarantee for salvation when we . . .

1) Oppose Pride

2) Seek Salvation

3) Pray for God to Act

4) Love God’s Commandments

2. Invitation