PEOPLE ARE THE PROBLEM... GOD IS THE SOLUTION

PSALM 28

There is a new show on Tueday nights entitled "3 Pounds". I haven't watched it and don't plan to watch it mainly because of the commercials I have seen for it. It is a show about brain surgeons and in the commercial one of the surgeons says something to the effect, "If there is a God why am I correcting His mistakes?" God make a mistake? No the writer has made a mistake. But it is a common mistake. If God made us perfect, they reason, why are there so many problems? The answer is that something happened between when God finished Creation and noted, "It was very good." and the point to where the problems entered. That which happened is called sin, and man is the cause of the problems, the mistakes, the death which we see all around us (Rom. 5:12-21). But the origin of problems is not the subject here, we know there are problems. What do we do about them? Some answers are found in Psalm 28.

I. PRAY

1. For strength lest we fall (v. 1-2, Mt. 26:40-41)

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

2. For sufficiency lest we follow (v. 3, II Cor. 9:8-11)

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

3. For enemies lest they succeed (v. 4, Mt. 5:43-45)

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

II. TRUST

1. For hearing (v. 5-6, Ps. 66:18-19)

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

2. For help (v. 7a, Ps. 121:1-2)

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

3. For heart (v. 7b, Ps. 5:8-12)

Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

III. FEED (v. 8-9)

Now here we must be careful. Feed on what? TV? Radio? Other media? Opinions of men be they friend or foe or our own? No, feed on the Word. Sometimes people try to use this as an excuse to leave a good church. Years ago some wanted to leave Highland Park Baptist Church with this reasoning as has happened in many sound churches. Is this the case in all these churches. It sounds so spiritual, "I wasn't being fed." But they world, the flesh, and/or the devil can deceive us in this area. What can help us determine the truth?

1. Is there a dearth? (Amos 8:11 speaks of this, "not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:"

Paul talks about it in I Cor. 3:1-11. Is the Word being preached?

2. Is there a desire? (I Pt. 2:1-2) We have all seen people come expecting a blessing and get one, and some come expecting not to get one and don't. Don't blame the message. Don't blame the messenger. Come expecting a blessing!

3. Is there a distraction? (II Tim. 4:1-4) I don't like his style. I like the preacher to preach loud (or low), or expository, or topical. Don't get distracted by criticism. Don't get distracted by incidentals. I can be blessed by William Bray who raises his voice a lot, or by Brother Pittman who does not, or anyone in between as long as what they are teaching is the Word of God! Take notes! Take the time to search the Scriptures. I have challenged people for years to show me where I was not preaching the Bible, I have had some people leave churches I pastored, but no-one has ever come and shown me that I wasn't preaching the Word and by God's grace, they never will! Don't get distracted!

PRAY. TRUST. FEED.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.