From Distress To Delight

Ps. 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Background for Ps 73

- 2 Chron. 20

v.1-2 – Jehoshaphat's distress - Overwhelmed

v.3-4 – Fear took hold – His only help is the Lord

v. 6-13 – Jehoshaphat Prayed

v.14-19 – A Levite's counsel

v.20-22a – Victory through Praise &Worship

v.22b-24 – Enemy self-destructs

v.25 – Blessing beyond comprehension

Ps. 73 – Today's Perspective

v.2-16 – When I look out at the world I see the success of the wicked & the grief of the righteous

v.17-28 – MY Confidence

v.1, 28 – Note - "God is good"; "good for me"

Ps 73:26 – Divided into 3 parts

1.) Despair

~ My flesh and my heart faileth: (KJV)

My mind & my body may grow weak (GNB)

My health fails: my spirits droop (TLB)

- NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams 1/29/14 story

- Martin Pistorius - Trapped in his own body

- 10 yrs. – He could see & hear everything around him

- He could not talk nor control his body

- Could not tell people he understood them

- Dr. said Martin could not understand the world around him

- Thought he had a neurodegenerative disease

- Someone saw something more of Martin

- Martin started communicating through a text to speech computer

- He went to college, drives an adaptive car

- Even got married

- We are like Martin locked in sin

- Sinfulness destroys lasting hope

- This world gives no future promise

- It's prophecy gives only dismal destruction

- As in 2 Chron. 20:12 2 Chronicles 20:12 (AV)

.... we have no might ... neither know we what to do.....

- Stop insisting you know what is right

- This is in rebellion to the Word

- Repentance is not part of our life

Isaiah 55:1–3 (AV)

1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

- Catch the feeling of Hagar & Ishmael

- Gen. 21:9-20

- Totally helpless, without strength, about to die

Genesis 21:17 (AV)

17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Romans 5:6 (AV)

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

2.) Dependence

~ but God is the strength of my heart, (KJV)

but God always protects my heart (NET)

but God remains the fou9dation of my life (GW)

- "But" changes everything

- "God is" – Not God was, or God will

- Absolute confidence

- It is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleans & transforms

- Note it's the heart not the flesh which needs work

- The actions of our life depicts what is going on in the heart

- "Strength" - Literally – My rock

- Stuff which form mountains

- Giving refuge in every danger

Psalm 61:2 (AV)

2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

1 Samuel 2:2 (AV)

2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

Psalm 27:5 (AV)

5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion (sanctuary): in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

3.) Delight

and my portion for ever (KJV)

and my inheritance forever (GW)

and gives me stability (NET)

faithful (Message)

- "Portion"- Does not mean being divvyed up

- Not, here is a bit for you and here is a bit for me

- We get it all – Note v.23-24

- My inheritance

- From this time forth forever

- My portion is forever full

- It does not diminish

-Not for a year, or an age, or a million of ages but for eternity

- Jesus is my Reward Forever

(1) Most satisfying;

(2) Most exhaustless;

(3) Most enduring.