Prayer - Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Opening Story/Illustration: Imagine with me that you’re sitting at one of your favorite restaurants and your sipping your cup of coffee. You happen to be sitting in the outdoor seating area, enjoying your food, when all of a sudden you hear a massive commotion. You turn around to see a massive greyhound dog headed your way. He’s jumping and flailing turning over tables and sending the other customers screaming in fright. You jump out of his way and notice that he isn’t alone. He has a leash on and, attached to this lease is a bistro chair. It seems that this dog is running from the chair. How did this happen?
A movement made the chair twitch, which made the dog jump, which made the chair leap, which made the dog more nervous, which made the chair move more, which made the dog run, which made the chair jump, which made the people around the dog shout, which made the dog run, which made the chair..you get the picture..The faster the dog ran, the wilder the chair’s pursuit became.
Here’s the truth - Many of us live our lives this way. We are driven and disoriented by fear. We think that the solution to our problem is to keep running to keep moving. But what if the real solution is to simply stop. To Pause.
Transition to Text: It is this idea that I want to talk about this evening: Pause. The world around us is moving fast. If we are going to survive, we must intentionally learn to stop, to pause, and to be with Jesus.
David is a great example of this in the Psalms. We could look at many different Psalms that would emphasize the need to stop and Pause to be with God.
But the one I want to look at tonight is Psalm 62
Text: Psalm 62
To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. 3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah 5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 9 Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. 10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. 11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, 12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.
Transition to Points: Let’s take a look at this Psalm tonight.
Points
Points
David Pauses and remembers God Alone is his source.
This poem begins with David declaring that he was waiting for God in Silence and as it moves forward you feel a surge of confidence.
I can imagine perhaps David had enough and he gets alone and he waits for God.
He’s had a rough time - David is Being Attacked
This Psalm was probably written during the coup staged by David’s son Absalom.
If you remember the story in 2 Samuel, Absalom, David’s son gets mad at David. David, if you recall, is King of Israel.
Absalom and David had a bit of a falling out over how David had handled some of their family drama. Absalom’s step brother, Ammon raped his sister Tamar. David does nothing about it. So Absalom takes matters into his own hands and murders Ammon.
David eventually forgives Absalom, but things are never quite the same. David has a bad habit of trying to just push things under the rug. He’s not good at dealing with his children and their issues.
As a result of all this tension between them Absalom begins working to undermine David’s leadership.
He begins to stand outside the city gate every day and as he sees people coming in He would say, “You’ve got a great case. Too bad the King doesn’t have anyone to hear it! Man, If only I were the Judge. If I were in charge, I could give you the justice you deserve.”
In 2 Samuel 15, we are told that he has, “Stolen the hearts of the people.”
He pulls these shenanigans for several years and eventually He incites a rebellion against David, and David has to flee. Absalom is ultimately defeated, but it is in the midst of all of this that he pens Psalm 62.
Notice what he says in Psalm 62:3-4
David feels as though people want to topple him over like broken fence.
People want to throw him down from his position.
They thought David was like a broken fence - One good shove and he’s coming down.
What is his response in the midst of all of this? I imagine that somehow he’s come to the point where he’s had enough and he has to get alone with God. He starts out with a reminder that God alone is his source.
Think of all the things David could have looked to for his source. He is, after all, the King.
He has men who are willing to fight with him
He has resources
He has brains
He’s an experienced warrior
Yet he doesn’t trust in his army, his riches, his brains, or his experience. He trusts in GOD ALONE.
David knew that God Alone was His source!
In the Hebrew The word “Only” introduces 5 of the 8 verses in verses 1 - 8.
For God ALONE his soul waits in silence
He ALONE is my rock and my salvation
For God ALONE my soul waits in silence, my hope is from him
He ONLY is my rock and my salvation
Why could David wait in Silence?
Because he had said all that needed to be said
Or because the words just wouldn’t come
So David begins this prayer by reminding himself that God is his source and he moves into his complaint about his enemies and then he circles right back around in verses 5 - 8 and again states his confidence in God!
David reminds himself Life is short - David says in verse 9, “those of low estate are but a breathe; those of high estate are a delusion, in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than breath.”
David is reminding himself that all mankind is temporary. The word “breath” here is the same word used in Ecclesiastes as “vanity.” The idea is a puff of wind. Gone in a moment. (Have you ever been to the eye doctor and they shoot a puff of wind in your eye? It happens so fast. That’s David’s idea here. All men are like a puff of wind.)
Absalom and those who are trying to over throw David are just a breathe.
This reminds me of what James says in James 4:14
David reminds himself that the promises of Money and riches are empty
He says, “Set not your heart on them.”
It would be tempting to think that money and riches bring power - but David sees through all of this.
David reminds himself that God, ultimately, holds the power
Look at Psalm 62:11-12 Notice that 2 things belong to God
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, 12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.
The Power belongs to God - This is meant to be a reminder that man does not have the power.
The steadfast love belongs to God - The word here is hesed. This is the word used for God’s covenant keeping. It’s not just love - It’s faithfulness!
God was going to work things out in a just manner because he holds the power and he is faithful!
We need to pause remember that God alone is our source
Some of us, need to get alone with God. You’ve been struggling with something, feeling attacked by something and you need to get alone with God and have a come to Jesus meeting.
Maybe you’re at a point in life where you feel striped of everything
You need to get a place and plan a time and get alone with God and remind yourself life David of the goodness and faithfulness of God!
I had to have one of these several weeks ago.
We can become so busy and run so hard and forget what really matters - That God is our source!
The Problems is We are so good at looking to other things as our source. We know that Christian lines we should say about God being our source.
But if we really looked deeply at our lives, is God alone our source? Do we really live this out?
Illustration: Last week I was working with my father in law to install something at my house. We worked on it and it required electricity. We’ve hooked it up and turned it on and the device isn’t working. We discovered that either 1) The device has an electrical short. or 2) It’s not hooked up to the correct source in the correct way. As a result, every-time we turn it on, it trips the breaker.
Some of us wonder why our lives keep getting tripped up?
Cause we’ve got a short in our connection with God - Called Sin. Maybe we’ve got a habit or an issue that causes our connection to the source to be hit or miss.
Or maybe, maybe we’re hooked up to the wrong source all together.
If you trust in money - It’ll leave you or you will leave it.
If you trust in people - They will let you down
If you trust in politicians - they will fail you
All of these things are good and necessary - But none are our SOURCE!
I think Christians in this country have a problem. The problem is that many look to their political leaders as their source. My honest opinion - We think if we can just get the right leaders in office, that everything will be fixed. I’ve got news for you - The problem isn’t out there, it’s in here.
The problem for most of us is this - We aren’t David. We don’t have a men fighting with us, or the smarts or the money, or....and we are tempted to think that if we just had an army or the money or whatever you think you need..that somehow it would make it all ok. David had all of this and still says - “God alone is my source.”
We need to pause and remember that life is temporary and God is in control
Some of us just need to stop and breathe. Our life is gone so crazy and there’s so many things that seem out of control and we just need to stop and remember that our situation is temporary. Life is a puff of air.
What do we do when life hands us disappointment?
Illustration: Some of you may know my story on this - But when I was a senior in high school my father pastored a church. We had been there for about 7yrs and there was a lot that went on behind the scenes that I probably still don’t know about - But bottom line is this - We had to leave the church. Not for moral failure or anything like that. We lived in the Church parsonage so it meant not only did we have to leave the Church, we had to move. I was making college plans and all this was disrupted. It was disappointing to say the least. We didn’t have anywhere to move and so we moved in with my grandmother and my aunt, uncle, and two cousins. My family had 4 people - so 9 people and I think 3 dogs living in a 4 bedroom 2 bath house. We were hoping to find something soon, but one week turned into two weeks, two weeks turned into a month..a month turned into two..turned into 6 months. We would go to churches and try out only to be rejected or feel like this wasn’t the place God wanted us. It would have been so easy to choose bitterness. Anger at the church that asked us to leave. Angry at God who through off my college plans. Angry at my parents who forced me to move..
I had to process through all of that as 17yr old. I had to come to this conclusion: The Lord is in control, and he is full of steadfast love towards me.
We have so many things we need to get done. So many things that worry us. So many “enemies” coming after us.
Pause, slow down and think about how short life really is.
The stuff we often worry about - God has a way of handling it.
The stuff we complain to God about - God has a way of handling it.
I’ve lived my 36yrs on this planet - And I can assure you of one thing. God has never ever failed. He’s done some things I don’t understand. He hasn’t always come through the way I would want him to - BUT HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAITHFUL.
I want on my tombstone - God was always faithful.
This is easy to say and hard to live out. But truth is, God is always faithful!
Life is temporary and moves fast. So you’ve got to hold on to the one thing that never moves and never changes - God.
At its heart, this Psalm is really a question of - Who will you trust?
Pause - Stop running for a moment - and remember this: Once God has spoken, twice have i heard this: The power belongs to God and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Main Idea: We need to Pause and remember God is our source and he is in control.
So what? This week, make time to find a place to get alone with God and Pause in prayer. Lay it all out before him. Make this a habit each day. Watch how God shows up in your life!