Don't be a Horse
Conversations with God 2.0
Psalm 32
by Eric Stillman
September 17th, 2006

Two weeks ago I began a series on communication with God.  The reason is that I believe that in many ways this is a new beginning at NewLife, and there is no better place to begin than to focus on our communication with God – the way we talk to and listen to and relate to our God.  I told you that I’m completely overwhelmed by this, but so be it – I don’t believe that should stop us from spending a season focusing on our prayer life as a church and as families and individuals.  A great place to begin was authenticity, and not acting or reading a script before God when it comes to our prayer life.  The Greek word in the New Testament for this was “hupocrita”, or hypocrite in the English.  Jesus used this word often to describe how the Pharisees prayed as if they were acting a part before an audience instead of communicating from their heart to God.  Communication with God is meant to be from the heart, using whatever emotions and words we have, not cleaning ourselves up to play someone that is not us, as if God is impressed by outward appearances.  I think that a great place to go from there is a particular type of communication with God known as confession.  Now that we are coming honestly before God, it would be wise to begin by examining ourselves and being open and honest before God about what holds us back from really experiencing him in our lives.  And the best place to learn about confession is in the Psalms.  And one of the best Psalms of confession is Psalm 32.

While you’re opening up to Psalm 32, in honor of school starting back up I’d like to hit you with a pop quiz:  True or false – the Psalms are one of Paul’s letters.  True or false – it’s one of the four gospels.  True of false - it’s a book of prophecy.  Since it’s none of those, then don’t read it like a letter, or a gospel, or a prophecy, but as it was intended, a guide to worship, an aid to prayer, an instructor on how to relate to God.  The Psalms are meant to involve us in relating to God.  So, you need to know that if you came here today hoping to learn a few things and go home, you’ve come to the wrong place.  We’re going to use Psalm 32 to guide us into prayer & worship & relate to God this morning.  God is here, and he wants a word with you.  His Holy Spirit wants to deal with you this morning, so prepare your heart to meet with the Lord.   Sometimes the temptation when hearing a sermon is to say, “Oh, I’m glad he’s here to hear this” instead of listening for yourself.  It’s very important not to see this sermon as directed to anybody but yourself, for we all have sin – we all fall short, we are all twisted in different ways.

1 John 1:8  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Let’s pray.  Psalm 139:23-24 – Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.