The Lifter of Your Head
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
1 Lord, How are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; My glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, And he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, That have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Multiplied Problems
Multiplied Problems
Many Adversaries
Many Adversaries
How are they increased that trouble me
David had no shortage of enemies — the entire nation had been turned against him, and more so every day.
For the servant of God, enemies can rise up out of the woodwork, not enemies of you personally, but of the God you serve.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Many Antagonists
Many Antagonists
Many are they that rise up against me
ILLUSTRATION
In a Peanuts cartoon, Linus is curled up in a chair, reading a book, while Lucy stands behind him with a funny look on her face. Lucy then says, “It’s very strange. It happens just by looking at you.”
“What happens?” Linus asks.
Lucy calmly answers, “I can feel a criticism coming on.”
Many Accusers
Many Accusers
Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in God.
For mine enemies speak against me; And they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, Saying, God hath forsaken him: Persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
ILLUSTRATION —
The story is told of a prosecuting attorney in a small town courthouse called his first witness, an elderly woman, to the stand. He approached her and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know me?”
She responded, “Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a young boy. And, frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a rising big shot, but you haven’t the brains to realize you will never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.”
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?”
She replied, “Why, of course I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy, bigoted, and has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him.”
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both lawyers to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, “If either of you ask her if she knows me, I’ll hold you both in contempt of court!”
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Marvelous Provision
Marvelous Provision
Defence
Defence
“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me.”
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, My saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
For thou hast been a shelter for me, And a strong tower from the enemy.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
ILLUSTRATION —
David Livingstone was the pioneer missionary to Africa, who walked over 29,000 miles in his ministry. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren. He wrote the following words in his diary: “Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to Your service and to Your heart.”
Devotion
Devotion
“Thou art … my glory”
Glory = “kabod” — glory as the object of honour, reverence and glorifying
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Neither let the mighty man glory in his might, Let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, That he understandeth and knoweth me, That I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: For in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
ILLUSTRATION — John Wesley’s Journal
I visited one who was ill in bed; and, after having buried seven of her family in six months, had just heard that the eighth, her beloved husband, was cast away at sea. I asked, “Do not you fret at any of those things?” She said, with a lovely smile upon her pale cheek, “O, no! How can I fret at anything which is the will of God? Let Him take all besides: He has given me Himself. I love, I praise Him every moment.”
Disposition
Disposition
“the lifter of my head”
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
ILLUSTRATION —
One of the best-loved hymns of the faith, “It Is Well with My Soul,” was written by Horatio Spafford. Mr. Spafford, a wealthy businessman in Chicago, lost much of his real estate holdings in the Great Chicago Fire. After the fire, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to Europe, intending to join them later, for a time of rest as well as to assist Moody and Sankey with a revival in Great Britain. But the voyage was struck by disaster, and Spafford received a cable from his wife with the painful message, “Saved alone.”
Spafford quickly made arrangements to join his wife. When they reached the spot where his daughters had drowned, Spafford marked that sad event with words of hope: “When peace like a river attendeth my way; when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’”
These powerful words written in the midst of such pain are a reminder to us today that, even though we may be enduring great suffering and hardship, it is not the end of God’s plan for us. Sometimes God’s children get discouraged because it appears that life is going better for those who are doing wrong. Yet the end result of both paths is already settled. Those who fear God will be able to say, “It is well.” Those who oppose God will quickly find that the end of their path is death and destruction. Keeping the end result in mind helps us keep doing right.
Deference
Deference
“I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.”
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.
But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto him.
I cried unto God with my voice, Even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
God heard Noah in the Ark
God heard Jonah in the fish
God heard Joseph in prison
God heard Daniel in the Lion’s den
God heard Jeremiah in the pit
God heard Samson in the temple of the enemy
God heard Jesus on the Cross
God hears His children when they pray
Quote — “When a mother has a sick child, it is marvelous how quick her ears become while attending it. Good woman, we wonder she does not fall asleep. If you hired a nurse, it is ten to one she would. But the dear child in the middle of the night does not need to cry for water, or even speak; there is a little quick breathing—who will hear it? No one would except the mother; but her ears are quick, for they are in her child’s heart. Even so, if there is a heart in the world that longs for the things of God, God’s ear is already in that poor sinner’s heart. He will hear it. There is not a good desire on earth but the Lord has heard it.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Dependance
Dependance
Rest
Rest
“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.”
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Jesus could sleep in the storm
Peter could sleep in prison
You can find rest in the storm
ILLUSTRATION —
In 1555, Dr. Nicholas Ridley was sentenced to be burned at the stake in England because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley’s execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas Ridley declined the offer saying, “I intend (God willing) to go to bed, and sleep as quietly tonight, as ever I did.” Because he knew the peace of God, he could rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of his Lord to meet his need.
Most of us will never face a trial of our faith that is quite that severe, yet all of us go through difficult times. During those times, we have the opportunity to fix our minds on God and receive His peace.
Resolve
Resolve
“I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people.”
ILLUSTRATION —
Missionaries Dick and Margaret Hillis were caught in China during the Japanese invasion. The couple lived with their two children in the inland town of Shenkiu. The village was tense with fear, and every day brought terrifying reports of the Japanese advance. At the worst possible time, Dick developed appendicitis, and he knew his life depended on making the long journey by ricksha to the hospital. On January 15, 1941, with deep foreboding, Margaret watched him leave.
Soon the Chinese colonel came with news. The enemy was near and townspeople must evacuate. Margaret shivered, knowing that one-year-old Johnny and two-month-old Margaret Anne would never survive as refugees. So she stayed put. Early the next morning she tore the page from the wall calendar and read the new day’s Scripture. It was Psalm 56:3—“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”
The town emptied during the day, and the next morning Margaret arose, feeling abandoned. The new verse on the calendar was Psalm 9:10—“Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”
The next morning she arose to distant sounds of gunfire and worried about food for her children. The calendar verse was Genesis 50:21—“I will nourish you and your little ones.” An old woman suddenly came to their house with a pail of steaming goat’s milk, and another straggler arrived with a basket of eggs.
Throughout the day, sounds of warfare grew louder, and during the night Margaret prayed for deliverance. The next morning she tore the page from the calendar to read Psalm 56:9—“When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back.” The battle was looming closer, and Margaret didn’t go to bed that night. Invasion seemed imminent. But the next morning, all was quiet. Suddenly, villagers began returning to their homes, and the colonel knocked on her door. For some reason, he told her, the Japanese had withdrawn their troops. No one could understand it, but the danger had passed. They were safe.
Mindful Petitions
Mindful Petitions
Rescue
Rescue
“Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God:”
O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: Behold, your God will come with vengeance, Even God with a recompence; He will come and save you.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Remembrance
Remembrance
Sustained Before
Sustained Before
“For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly”
ILLUSTRATION — God is Good and Faithful
Thomas Obediah Chisholm was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky in 1866. He received his education in a little country schoolhouse, and at age 16 began teaching at the same school. He became a Christian at age 27, and with no college or seminary training was ordained to the Methodist ministry at age 36. Chisholm served as a Methodist minister for a year, but ill health made it impossible for him to continue. He moved to Vineland, New Jersey, where he opened an insurance office. He suffered ill health most of his adult life and therefore had a smaller than average income. Of this circumstance he said, “God has given me many wonderful displays of his providing care, which have filled me with astonishing gratefulness.” Even though he suffered ill health for most of his adult life, Chisholm lived to the ripe old age of 94 and wrote more than 1,200 poems. One of those poems, written in 1923 was:
Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
Salvation Bought
Salvation Bought
“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:”
I, even I, am the Lord; And beside me there is no saviour.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Supplied Blessings
Supplied Blessings
“Thy blessing is upon thy people.”
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.
ILLUSTRATION — COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS
The story is told of an old Navajo Indian who became rich when oil was found on his property. He took all the money and put it in a bank. His banker became familiar with the habits of this old gentleman. Every so often, the Indian would show up at the bank and say to the banker, “Grass all gone, sheep all sick, water holes all dry.”
Without a word, the banker would take the old Indian into the vault, show him several bags of silver dollars, and say, “All this is yours.” The old man would spend about an hour stacking up the dollars and counting them. Then he’d return the bags to their places, come out of the vault, and say, “Grass all green, sheep all well, water holes all full.”
It is amazing the change that comes over us when we simply review our resources and count our blessings.
Conclusion
Conclusion