Draw Near to God

Take for instance Christian and Hopeful from John Bunyan's book Pilgrims Progress. When him and Hopeful were in the valley they could not see anything good but once they got to the Delectable Mountains and looked through the perspective looking glass, they were able to see that just on the other side of the tombs that were in the valley was the celestial gate. When they saw this it gave them the strength to continue on their journey.

When we only See things from our own vantage point, it can lead to a lot of distress

This was the problem which confronted the writer of this Psalm. He was looking at things around him from the wrong vantage point.

How often are we guilty of the same thing?

There are times when terrible things come our way and all we see is what is happening around us. When this happens, we tend to only look at what we can see.

However, there is far more to the picture than what our mortal eyes can behold.

This Psalm teaches us how to get our eyes off of our circumstances and place them squarely upon the Lord.

Our friend Asaph was ready to quit.

He was ready to throw in the towel and just walk away from God.

However, he learned to look at things, not from a faulty human perspective, but from the perspective of God.

When we stop looking through our eyes and begin looking through the eyes of the one that created us, we will begin to see things a lot different.

Thats the thought I would like to bring tonight, Draw Near to God and see things from His perspective.

The first thing we see about our friend Asaph is he was on the.....

I. Solid Ground of a Higher Perspective

(How Asaph had been educated)

v1. Truly God is good to Isreal, even to such as are of a clean heart

In this first verse, we see Asaph standing on Solid Ground.

He has been taught about the goodness of God.

He has been taught that the Lord is nothing but good.

This is true!

Jesus, Himself, testified to the goodness of God,

“For there is none good but God”

The psalmist tells us in

Psalm 86:5 KJV 1900

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Asaph has been taught two great truths …

A. God Blesses His People

—This is a true statement—

Psalm 84:11 KJV 1900

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: The Lord will give grace and glory: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

B. God Blesses The Pure

—This is another true statement—

Psalm 24:3–5 KJV 1900

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

So we see that Asaph has been educated properly and was standing on the

I. Solid Ground of a Higher Perspective (How Asaph Has Been Educated)

We see Asaph began to slip on the....

II. Slippery Ground of a Human Perspective

(What Asaph Had Experienced)

V. 2–16

Asaph had learned the truth about God, but what he experienced in life seemed to contradict what he had learned.

This brought him to a place of confusion and doubt concerning God.

In this section of this Psalm, we see Asaph standing on Slippery Ground, in v. 2

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well high slipped

The problem for Asaph is the same problem we all face from time to time.

We misinterpret the goodness of God!

We often think that goodness translates into blessings.

Why not ask Job about this kind of logic?

Do you think, even for a minute, what Job endured was a fun thing?

Well, it wasn’t! However, in the end, he had been brought closer to the Lord and he was blessed by God for his faithfulness!

For too many years, a kind of “health and wealth Gospel” has been preached in churches.

People have been lead to believe that if they live the right kind of lives and do the right things, then the Lord is obligated to bless them and give them good things.

My friends, that kind of teaching is a lie!

Often, the Lord will allow things in our lives that are hard to bear. He will place loads on our shoulders that will literally break us under their weight.

This isn’t a pleasant thing, but it is a necessary thing!

What we forget is that the Lord is molding us into His image.

And, for lumps of clay as badly disfigured as we are, that takes a lot of molding on the potters wheel.

Asaph had learned this truth about God.

But, I repeat, what he had learned about God did not go along with what he had experienced in the world.

As a result, he was confused by several things.

Notice what Asaph was confused about:

He was confused

A. By The Prosperity Of The Sinner

v.3 For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

—It bothered Asaph that the wicked prospered while the children of God did without.

B. By The Peace Of The Sinner

v.4 For there are no bands in their death: But their strength is firm.

—He watched the wicked live their lives in sin and slip off into eternity with no problems at all. He was amazed at the peace they had in death.

C. By The Pleasure Of The Sinner

v.5 They are not troubled as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men

—He was astounded that the wicked could live lives of such sin and do so without trouble. Their good times just seemed to roll on and on!

D. By The Pride Of The Sinner

vs.6-11

—Because they live the lives they do, and there is never any opposition from God, they are filled with pride before Him.

They say, “God doesn’t know! Even if He does. He is weak and unable to do anything about it at all”, v. 11.

All the while, they squeeze the last drop of pleasure from life, v. 10.

It appears to Asaph that they have it made!

E. By The Progress Of The Sinner

vs.12-16

—When Asaph took all this in, it caused him to become bitter in his heart.

1. He looked at the life he had been living for the Lord,

v. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

I believe Asaph might have said something like this:

“I mean I am a hymn writer for the king. I’ve written many hymns that would one day end up in God’s Holy Word. If anyone deserves to recieve blessing from God its me.”

2. He looked at his own share of sorrow,

v. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

Asaph contracted Eore syndrome.

“O’ Woe is me. all I receive of the Lord is bad while all those that dishonor God receive good. God must be angry at me for something.

3. He looked at a life lived for the Lord and it broke his heart,

v. 16 When I thought to know this, it was to painful for me

When Asaph saw these things, he felt like quitting on God.

He felt as though he had actually wasted his time in serving the Lord.

How many have truly felt that way?

When the trials of life begin to pile up on us, we are tempted to think that we would have been better off living like the rest of the world.

We say, That there is no benefit in serving the Lord.

The problem with this line of thinking, is that life is viewed from a human perspective.

When we look at life and its problems from a human perspective, we will always focus our attention on self.

Natural thinking always results in disaster because it allows you to stand in the wrong place and see things from the wrong angle.

If you allow yourself to fall into the trap of looking at life from a human perspective you, like Asaph, will find yourself in a place where you will begin to doubt what you know to be true about the Lord you will become bitter.

Friends, that is a dangerous place to be!

I. Solid Ground of a Higher Perspective (How Asaph Had Been Educated)

II. Slippery Ground of a Human Perspective (What Asaph Had Experienced)

and finally like Christian and Hopeful, Asaph got on the .....

III. Shouting Ground of a Heavenly Perspective

(What Asaph Had Encountered)

vs.17-28

Beginning in verse 17, the mood of the Psalm changes.

Asaph moves from the Solid Ground of a Higher Perspective to Slippery Ground of a Human Perspective and steps squarely unto Shouting Ground of a Heavenly Perspective.

It seems that Asaph made a trip to the top of the mount

There, he talked with the Lord, and the Lord talked with him.

As he did, he was able to get his eyes off of himself and the problems he faced.

He was able to lose his Human Perspective and replace it with a Heavenly Perspective.

Notice what became clear to Asaph when he went to the top of the mountain

A. The Future Of The Sinner

vs.17b-20

—Asaph came to realize that the wicked may have the best here.

They may live it up and enjoy life to the fullest, but that dream existence they are living will end when the breath leaves their body!

All they have to look forward to is an eternity in Hell to be separated from the Lord forever,

2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 KJV 1900

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

(Ill. Before we allow ourselves to become too jealous over the lives the wicked are living, we need to consider the fact that this is the only Heaven they will ever know.

Isn’t that depressing?

Lost friend, you need to get right with God! You may be enjoying your life today and think that you have it made.

In truth, you are living on borrowed time!

One day, the clock will run out for you and you will find yourself in Hell.

So, Asaph realized the future of the sinner, but he also realized...

B. The Foolishness Of Self

vs.21-22

—Now, Asaph confesses the fact that he has been looking at everything through a faulty set of lenses.

He deals with the matter of his own heart.

There are many of God’s children who would have to admit that they have looked at life the wrong way.

Instead of trusting the Lord and believing His Word, we have been guilty of looking at our circumstances and doubting the Word of God!

We have been guilty of saying:

1. God doesn’t care!

But His Word says in—1 Peter 5:7

1 Peter 5:7 KJV 1900

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

2. God doesn’t hear!

But God says in—Jer. 33:3

Jeremiah 33:3 KJV 1900

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

3. God isn’t even there!

And God says in—Heb. 13:5

Hebrews 13:5 KJV 1900

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Instead of doubting the Lord, we all need to come to the place where we just take God at His Word!

It is foolish to forget God in the middle of our trouble!

He is still God no matter what we face in life,

Ephesians 3:20 KJV 1900

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Have you been guilty of doing what Asaph did?

Are you guilty of allowing the trials of life to eclipse the face of God?

We all do it from time to time, but it needs to be confessed as the sin it is and forsaken for true faith in the Lord our God!

When you realize your own foolishness and you die to self you like Asaph will realize....

C. The Fulness Of The Savior

vs.23-28

—As Asaph communed with the Lord, he began to see everything more clearly.

He not only looked into the future of the sinner and the foolishness of self,

but he was able to see clearly the fullness of the Savior as well.

He came to realize that as a child of God,

he possessed spiritual blessings that towered above anything enjoyed by the wicked!

Notice some of the things Asaph discovered.

1. The Presence Of God

v.23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee:Thou hast holden me by my right hand

—Asaph realized that even in the midst of his trials, he had never been alone!

Even when the could not see God,

the Lord had been holding to his hand.

God had always been there.

That is a greater blessing than we are aware of this evening

The fact that our Lord is ever with His children is a blessing beyond description.

It means that we are never alone!

It means that in every valley,

every dark night of the soul,

every illness,

every situation in life,

we have the blessed presence of the Lord to sustain us and comfort us!

He is always there—

Matthew 28:20 KJV 1900

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Hebrews 13:5 KJV 1900

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

2. The Protection Of God

v.24 Thou shalt guide with thy counsel, and afterward recieve me to glory.

—Asaph recognizes that even though the storms of life may rage all around him, his life was under the control and direction of God.

He knew that God would guide him through this life and would eventually bring him home to heaven.

Friend, we enjoy the same protection enjoyed by Asaph!

While we endure the storms of life, we need to be aware that God knows where we are, Job 23:10

Job 23:10 KJV 1900

But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

He knows about our storm, and He allowed, it to come our way, Rom. 8:28

Romans 8:28 KJV 1900

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We need to realize that the storms of life, horrible as they may be, can never rip us from the hand of God.

Romans 8:38–39 KJV 1900

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He will guide us through them and will bring us into glory when this life is over.

Our problems pose no problem for the Lord!

3. The Person Of God

vs. 25-26

—Asaph comes to the conclusion that the Lord is all he needs in this life or in the life to come.

He has forgotten about the pleasure filled lives of the wicked and names the greatest blessing that he enjoys:

a personal relationship with God Himself!

Asaph had come to realize that his flesh was weak, but his Lord was strong)

God’s children need to learn that a heart that desires nothing but the Lord is a heart that will never be disappointed!

When we get our eyes off the Lord and start to lust after the things of the world, we will become dissatisfied and discouraged.

When we want nothing but God, we are sure to have everything we want

Matthew 5:6 KJV 1900

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

4. The Perception Of God

vs.27-28

—Finally Asaph arrives at the place where he can see things from God’s perspective.

No longer does he look upon the wicked with envy.

Now he knows that they are doomed.

Now he knows that the saints have reason to shout even when things look their bleakest.

Asaph has come to the place where he knows that Gods way is the only way.

He now knows that it pays to be a child of God!

My friends, that is the place we must all come to is we are to enjoy victory in the difficult days of life.

We have to get to the place where we can see things like they really are, and not like we think they are.

We have to come to the place where we lose the human perspective and adopt the heavenly perspective.

Basically, it boils down to changing the place where we are standing and Draw Near to God

How do we get to this place?

1. By Prayer 2. By the Bible 3. By Grace 4. By Faith

We get to the place where we can trust the Lord by trusting the Lord.

In other words, the more we allow ourselves to believe that God is Who He says He is and that He can do what He says He will do, the easier it becomes to trust Him with all of life!

It is the first step that is always the hardest!)

Conclusion:

Do we have any Asaph’s present today?

Sure we do!

There are people in this room who feel like giving up from time to time because of the load they are carrying through life.

I would like to challenge you this evening to do what Asaph did.

Come and commune with God about the situation.

Ask Him to give you His eyes so that you can look at things His way.

Ask Him to bring you to the place where you, like Asaph, can say, “I have put my trust in the Lord God.”

It all boils down to where you are standing!

Don’t be guilty of merely looking at what is right in front of you.

Don’t be guilty of just adopting the human perspective.

Make the effort today to get a heavenly perspective on your problems, and come to see things the right way: God’s way!

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