Trusting God during Trial

Intro

There will come a time, if it hasn’t already, where you will find yourself in situation that will have to put on a face that doesn’t necessarily reflect how your feel. Sometimes we have to put on a face to hide or even camouflage what we really want to say. Now, I know that you are tough, have thick skin, and you call all the shots in your life, but if you keep living you will end up wearing a face that doesn’t reflect how you feel. Am I right? Am I alone? Well let me remind you of that time you were will a group of friends and somebody said something that wasn’t funny and they all laughed and you did too even though it wasn’t all that funny. We do that to fit in. Or have you ever been in the presence of your boss, manager or senior coworker and they are talking to you all kinds of crazy, but you just have to sit there and grin because if you say what you really want to say you may end up fired? Cone on now. Some of us grew up in the period where when you were in the presence of a White person and had to witness your Father or Grandfather be called boy even though he was a grown man and watch as he could only grin and tip his hat and say “yes suh” because he feared for his life because the law was not on his side. Noticed I said grin and not smile, a smile comes from the inside out. A grin covers mask that covers anger, fear or rage. Our people would have to wear Black face (as if their blackness wasn’t already beautiful enough) to portray an ignorant person instead of a dignified human being. We had to do these things but all the while our ancestors, and family were trusting God that one day He would work it all out, and that we as children and grandchildren would not have to wear that face anymore. David, the author of this Psalm was in the same situation. (explain the heading of the text of Psalm 34) And through David’s experience he teaches us through this song three lessons of the effects of trusting God.

1. When you trust God you will Praise Him in your Problems. (v.1-3)

The very first words in the text are, “I will bless the LORD at ALL times…” This means that no matter what the circumstance is you will still bless the Lord. Oh, that sounds real easy on paper, but let the bills get stacked a little higher than you money. Let that ailment keep you bed ridden when you got things to do. Let that family member get on your last nerve for the last time. Let that house get foreclosed on. Let that car get repossessed. And it don’t even take all of that. Let somebody step on your new snake skin boots. Let that Cable TV go out. Let that car pull in your parking space when you’ve been waiting the whole time. All of a sudden the Lord is not on your mind let alone blessing the Lord. But the key is that if you know that God a trust worthy God you can bless him through it all. You can bless him….(repeat the above run) You can do this because your praise isn’t not dictated by what God does, but your praise is inspired by who God is. And when you realize who God is it will change the way you look at circumstances.

At this point is where we begin to magnify the Lord. (What does magnify mean?) This is where he extends the invitation because Praise is contagious.

2. When you trust God he will Deliver you from Destitution. (v. 4-7)

The language is strong. I sought the LORD and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. That God is a deliverer is a staple of our faith. The word is a picture of pulling someone out of danger. God has a strong record of deliverance. Enoch, Issac, Joseph, Israel, Moses, Rahab, Elijah, Jonah, Esther, Naaman, Peter from sinking, 5000 from hunger, Bleeding woman, Paul from being stoned, Jesus from the grave. You don’t have to look that far you can look in your own seat.

v.19.

For every mountain, You brought me over For every trial, you see me through For every blessings Hallelujah, for this I give you praise

3. When you trust God He will Bless you Bountifully. (v. 8-19)

(v.8)Once you get a glimpse of God’s goodness you will be hooked. So David is testifying to the people through this psalm to invite them to experience God for themselves. He says, if you don’t believe what I’ve been saying come and taste and see for your-self.

In the 1960’s the TV culture was growing and companies found an new way to advertise called commercials. And we know how effective commercials are in a culture of consumerism. But, on company put out a challenge. The believed in their product so much that they put their reputation on the line and issued a bet in the form of a slogan. The company was Lays Potato Chips and the challenge was, “Bet you can’t eat just one”

(v.9-10) Exegete the texts first.

Tell story of Kevin Hart’s mother asking him if he read his Bible.