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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/alex-dryburgh/the-man-of-god/
I'd like to read three verses from the Psalms. First of all, Psalm number four. Psalm number four, verse three. Psalm four, verse three. But know that the Lord has set apart him that is godly for himself.
The Lord will hear when I call upon him. Second reading in Psalm number 32. Psalm number 32, and we're going to read verse six. For this, shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found.
Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. A final reading in Psalm number 12. Psalm number 12, verse one. Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth and the faithful fail from among the children of men.
The Lord has promised to bless to us the reading from his good word. Now we've read tonight three things about a godly man. I believe in Psalm number four, we see the value of a godly man. God has set apart him that is godly for himself.
It's the value of a godly man. When we come to Psalm number 32, it's the privilege of a godly man. All that are godly shall pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. It's the privilege of a godly man.
And then when we come to Psalm number 12 in verse one, it's the scarceness of a godly man. Help, Lord, the godly man ceaseth and the faithful fail from among the children of men. The value, the privilege, and the scarceness of a godly man.
I believe when Paul writes to Timothy, he writes about the value of a godly man, he writes about the privilege of a godly man, and he writes about the scarceness of a godly man, as Paul writes to Timothy.
Remember what he says to young Timothy? A vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use. Keep in mind two things. God wants to employ us, but God wants to enjoy us. He wants us to be vessels unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use.
It's the value of a godly man. When I come to 1 Timothy chapter 2, I believe I see the privilege of a godly man. You remember what Paul writes, how that men, they have to pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.
It's the privilege of a godly man. And of course, when I come to Timothy's epistle, I see the scarceness of the godly man. When you read 1 Timothy, underline the little word, some. Some turned aside after vain talking.
Some turned aside after Satan. Some turn away their ears from the truth. When you read 1 Timothy, underline the little word, some. But when you read 2 Timothy, underline the little word, all. You remember 2 Timothy chapter 1?
All in Asia have forsaken me. You remember 2 Timothy chapter 4? At my first answer, no man stood by me. What's the difference between 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy? Simply this. In 1 Timothy, the majority is right.
And there's a few individuals that's wrong. But in 2 Timothy, the majority is wrong and a few individuals are right. So the value, the privilege, and the scarceness of a man of God. I'm going to speak to you tonight very simply on the phrase man of God or the godly man.
I remember listening to the late William True, one of the most gifted men I ever listened to, and one of the most godliest men I ever listened to. William True once said this, we may get on somehow without gift, but know how without godliness.
Know how without godliness. So remember, it's one thing to be a gifted man, it's another thing to be a godly man. I once listened to a very gifted man say this, it shocked me when he said it. He said this, some of the most gifted men I have ever listened to have been some of the most unchristlike men I have ever met.
Now gift and godliness go together. Samuel was a gifted man. All Israel knew from Dan to Beersheba that Samuel was a prophet of the Lord. Samuel was a gifted man. When I come to 1 Samuel chapter 9 and I read about Samuel, there's a man of God in the city, a man that is held in honor, and all that he saith cometh to pass.
Samuel was a gifted man. Samuel was a godly man. Timothy was a gifted man. Paul said to Timothy, neglect not the gift that is in thee. Paul said to Timothy, stir up the gift of God that is in thee. Timothy was a gifted man.
You know Timothy was a godly man. 1 Timothy chapter 6, Paul says to Timothy, thou, O man of God, flee these things. So remember, gifted men ought to be godly men. If I read my Bible correctly, I discover this.
In the darkest days of Israel's history, I read about a man of God. Where do you read about the man of God in the dark days of Israel's history? You remember the book of Judges? You remember four times in the book of Judges you read a phrase like this, there was no king in Israel.
You remember twice in the book of Judges you read a phrase like this, everyone did that which was right in their own eyes, and yet in the book of Judges I read about a man of God. Come to 1 Samuel. You remember the conditions of 1 Samuel?
You've the sin of the young men. You've the blindness of Eli the priest. You've the word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no open vision, and yet in 1 Samuel chapter 2, I read about a man of God.
Come to the New Testament. Not only in the darkest days of Israel's history, but in the darkest days of church history, I read the phrase man of God. Now the question tonight is this, what marks a man of God?
Well, I read about the countenance of the man of God back in the book of Judges. Now the countenance of the man of God was as the countenance of an angel, very terrible. So remember you read about the countenance of the man of God.
When I come to 1 Kings chapter 13, I read about the courage of the man of God. You remember how he stood before the altar and he condemned the altar. He spoke against the altar. It's the courage of the man of God.
When I come to 2 Kings chapter 4, I read two things about the man of God. I read about the character of the man of God, a holy man of God. The character of the man of God. And then I read about the consistency of the man of God, which passes by us continually.
And of course, I come to 2 Timothy chapter 4, or chapter 3 is it? I read about the completeness of the man of God. That the man of God might be complete, furnished completely unto every good work. The scarceness of the man of God.
Ever notice the men that are few in the Bible? Just go through the Bible tonight and think about the men that are few. Let me give you three. You remember what the Lord said in the gospels? The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
So we read about few laboring men. You remember in the days of Hezekiah, do you remember that the Passover was a month late and two reasons are given? What's the first reason? The people never gathered themselves together.
That's the first reason. What's the second reason? The priests were too few to flee all the burnt offerings. Few priestly men. And I come to Psalm number 12 tonight. Help Lord, the godly man ceases and the faithful fail from among the children of men.
Few godly men, few laboring men to sow the good seed of the word of God. Few priestly men who worship God and few godly men that add character to the assembly of God. The value and the privilege and the scarceness of a man of God.