November 8, 2009

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Looking Up from a Mess Up

Week 1

Psalms 107

Four different types of hurting persons:

I.  The Helpless and Wandering (4-9)

"Some wandered in the desert, lost and homeless."

II. The Rebellious and Disobedient (10-16)

“Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, miserable prisoners in chains. They rebelled against the Words of God”

III. The Foolish and Ignorant (17-22)

“Some were fools in their rebellion; they suffered for their sins”

IV. The Ambitious and Self-Sufficient (23-32)

Each sections begins with a description of the people, a tragedy or some unexpected happens that drives them to their knees. Then it shows how they cry out to God in their trouble. Then in each case the focus turns to God. The theme becomes God Hears Us.

The Desert Wasteland:

Some wandered in the desert, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. "LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble, and He rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the LORD for His great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalms 107:4-9

These are frantic people, searching for something to put their trust in, searching for something to hold on to.

They are restless.

They are looking for security. (in all the wrong places)

God turns people’s rivers into deserts because of their sin.

He changes rivers into deserts, and springs of water into dry land. He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there.
Psalms 107:33-34

He turns that desert into pools for those who cry out to God. (35-38)

3 of the characteristics of the God Who Hears:

1. This is a God who can give us His undivided Attention.

2. God gives us His unqualified Acceptance.

In every case -- whether sin is involved or not involved -- when these people cry out to God, He answers them! Whenever we turn to Him, He welcomes us -- no matter what sin we may have committed.

3. God is unequaled Power.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:31-32

God always answers when we cry out to Him, regardless of our fault in getting ourselves into the mess.

God does not always bring us out of troubles immediately, but He is there with us in the middle of them.

If you are one of these restless and frantic people looking for that place of refuge, that city of habitation remember, God takes broken people and restores them, then uses them in His work.

God's promise here is that HE will never leave you, that HE will always answer you, that He will give you HIS undivided attention, give you HIS unqualified acceptance, and answer you with unequaled power.

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