In Psalm 57, David is writing on the run. He has just escaped Saul from whom he has been running for quite a long time already.When we read the accounts of this part of David's life, it doesn't seem like it was very long. But he was on the run for about 15 years!
David knew that God had appointed him to be the next king of Israel. He knew God's big plan, but didn't always understand what God was doing that day.
Isn't it the same way when we are going through difficult times?
We know that God has a plan. We know that He is trustworthy.
But how am I going to get through today?
Read this psalm and look at what David did.
He didn't deny the problems. He didn't try to solve the problem.
He focused on God.
Look at his description of God:
God is merciful.
God protects.
God hears prayer.
God has a plan and will fulfill it.
God will deliver.
God will show His unlimited mercy and unlimited faithfulness.
God will be exalted and glorified.
In the midst of trials, it's very easy to look at ourselves and have a pity party. But that's not helpful.
Rather, we need to look at God.
Make a list of His attributes.
Add to that list how you've seen them in your life - even in the last week.
Don't let Satan obscure your vision of God by directing your focus to yourself.
Showing posts with label problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label problems. Show all posts
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Friday, February 15, 2013
Think you've got problems?
Let me introduce you to a man.
He was crazy. No, it wasn't that he was a lot of fun. Or that everyone thought he was crazy. He was insane.
No one could control him. He was so strong that the strongest restraints could not hold him. He would just break them to pieces.
He lived in the cemetery. That's creepy.
He was a cutter. All day long. Every day.
He screamed. He moaned. He wailed. Night and day.
From the cemetery. Imagine a funeral procession. A widow coming to her former husband's grave.
And the crazy man is screaming and wailing just a few feet away.
Wild hair.
Oh, and he was naked, too.
What would you do? What could you do?
All sorts of methods have been used. For years.
Everyone had given up on him. No one was even trying to help him anymore.
It looked hopeless.
But then Jesus came.
Jesus came and cast out the evil spirits that had controlled this man for a very long time.
Imagine what people saw then.
The man was sitting. That was something completely different than what they had ever seen him do. He was at rest.
The man was clothed. They had never seen him like that.
The man was in his right mind. No more screaming. No more wild look in his eyes. No more sharp rocks in his hands. Maybe even a smile across his face.
This man who had been controlled by demons for a very long time was changed in an instant.
Because Jesus came.
His life was a mess. It couldn't have gotten much worse. It had been that way for a very, very long time.
But then Jesus came.
Your problems may seem as bad as this man's. Or maybe not. Maybe you've been struggling with a problem for a very long time. It seems to have control over you. You see no hope. All you see is that it has control and you're just living day to day.
But then Jesus will come.
Just like this man, Jesus can solve your problems. Only Jesus can.
You've tried everything else already, right?
Let Jesus take care of your problems.
He can do it.
I know.
He was crazy. No, it wasn't that he was a lot of fun. Or that everyone thought he was crazy. He was insane.
No one could control him. He was so strong that the strongest restraints could not hold him. He would just break them to pieces.
He lived in the cemetery. That's creepy.
He was a cutter. All day long. Every day.
He screamed. He moaned. He wailed. Night and day.
From the cemetery. Imagine a funeral procession. A widow coming to her former husband's grave.
And the crazy man is screaming and wailing just a few feet away.
Wild hair.
Oh, and he was naked, too.
What would you do? What could you do?
All sorts of methods have been used. For years.
Everyone had given up on him. No one was even trying to help him anymore.
It looked hopeless.
But then Jesus came.
Jesus came and cast out the evil spirits that had controlled this man for a very long time.
Imagine what people saw then.
The man was sitting. That was something completely different than what they had ever seen him do. He was at rest.
The man was clothed. They had never seen him like that.
The man was in his right mind. No more screaming. No more wild look in his eyes. No more sharp rocks in his hands. Maybe even a smile across his face.
This man who had been controlled by demons for a very long time was changed in an instant.
Because Jesus came.
His life was a mess. It couldn't have gotten much worse. It had been that way for a very, very long time.
But then Jesus came.
Your problems may seem as bad as this man's. Or maybe not. Maybe you've been struggling with a problem for a very long time. It seems to have control over you. You see no hope. All you see is that it has control and you're just living day to day.
But then Jesus will come.
Just like this man, Jesus can solve your problems. Only Jesus can.
You've tried everything else already, right?
Let Jesus take care of your problems.
He can do it.
I know.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Fix your Focus
"They went three days into the wilderness and found no water...And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" (Exodus 15:22-24)
These words are more intense in their context. Do you remember what is at the beginning of Exodus 15?
It's a praise service led by Moses. The people had just crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Then they turned around to see Pharaoh's army drown.
"I will sing to the LORD! The LORD is my strength and my song! Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrow Your adversaries. Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?"
All of that and more came from Moses leading the congregation in praise. And I imagine that having seen what they had just seen, no one was watching the clock or planning for the committee meeting when it was over.
A great praise service attributing to God the glory and honor and power due His name.
Three days later, God isn't able to provide water and Moses is to blame.
They took their focus off the greatness of God and started looking at their circumstances. They were concerned about their temporal needs and didn't think God could provide for them. He could wipe out the entire Egyptian economy and army, but couldn't take care of their daily needs.
It looks like they had a lesson to learn. God knew that the waters of Mara were bitter. He knew that they would see all that sparkling water, but not be able to drink it. He could have led them somewhere else. He could have fixed the problem before they got there.
God led them right to the edge of the water. God put them right in the middle of a problem.
Because He had something for them to learn.
It's much easier to complain like the Israelites did when I have a problem. I need to learn that God is using the problem to teach me. I need to call out to Him for help. I need to search His Word for solutions.
There may be some bitter water ahead. God knows that and He's got a lesson for me to learn.
These words are more intense in their context. Do you remember what is at the beginning of Exodus 15?
It's a praise service led by Moses. The people had just crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Then they turned around to see Pharaoh's army drown.
"I will sing to the LORD! The LORD is my strength and my song! Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrow Your adversaries. Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?"
All of that and more came from Moses leading the congregation in praise. And I imagine that having seen what they had just seen, no one was watching the clock or planning for the committee meeting when it was over.
A great praise service attributing to God the glory and honor and power due His name.
Three days later, God isn't able to provide water and Moses is to blame.
They took their focus off the greatness of God and started looking at their circumstances. They were concerned about their temporal needs and didn't think God could provide for them. He could wipe out the entire Egyptian economy and army, but couldn't take care of their daily needs.
It looks like they had a lesson to learn. God knew that the waters of Mara were bitter. He knew that they would see all that sparkling water, but not be able to drink it. He could have led them somewhere else. He could have fixed the problem before they got there.
God led them right to the edge of the water. God put them right in the middle of a problem.
Because He had something for them to learn.
It's much easier to complain like the Israelites did when I have a problem. I need to learn that God is using the problem to teach me. I need to call out to Him for help. I need to search His Word for solutions.
There may be some bitter water ahead. God knows that and He's got a lesson for me to learn.
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