God Truly Cares For You

WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN

GUEST SPEAKER: BRO. BOB WARDLAW

SERMON TITLE: GOD CARES FOR YOU

I’D LIKE FOR YOU TO OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO PSALMS 142:1-2 “I CRIED UNTO THE LORD WITH MY VOICE; WITH MY VOICE UNTO THE LORD DID I MAKE MY SUPPLICATION. I POURED OUT MY COMPLAINT BEFORE HIM; I SHEWED HIM MY TROUBLE.”

IT’S ALRIGHT TO COMPLAIN AS LONG AS YOU COMPLAIN TO THE RIGHT PERSON. YOU SEE MOST OF US WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT, WE COMPLAIN TO ONE ANOTHER. THERE’S ALWAYS SOMEBODY WE CAN CALL ON THE PHONE WHO WILL LISTEN TO OUR COMPLAINTS. BUT DAVID IS COMPLAINING BUT HE POURED OUT HIS COMPLAINT UNTO THE LORD. WE’RE NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT HIM, WE’RE JUST POURING OUT OUR COMPLAINT TO HIM OF WHAT’S UPON OUR HEART. I BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT HE TELLS US TO DO IN HEBREWS 4 WHEN HE SAID LET US COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE. THE BOLDLY THERE MEANS TO COME WITH AN OPEN HEART, TELLING HIM EXACTLY WHAT’S UPON YOUR HEART. IT’S NOT COMING BEFORE HIM IN AN ARROGANT PROUDFUL MANNER. BUT IT’S COMING, OPENING UP YOUR HEART. SAYING, LORD, THIS IS JUST HOW I FEEL. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT’S GOING ON IN MY LIFE. WE MIGHT STAND UP HERE IN CHURCH AND TESTIFY AND WE MAY NOTBE QUITE AS OPEN AS WE WOUOLD LIKE TO BE BUT WHEN WE COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD WE ARE TO OPEN OUR HEARTS WITHOUT ANY HIDDEN RECESSES. ALL THE DOORS ARE TO BE OPEN AND WE TELL HIM JUST HOW WE FEEL. IF YOU’VE BEEN UNFAITHFUL JUST TELL HIM YOU’VE BEEN UNFAITHFUL. IF YOU’RE IN PAIN AND HURTING, TELL HIM YOU’RE IN PAIN AND HURTING. SO THAT IS WHAT DAVID IS DOING HERE. HE MUST HAVE A LOT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT BECAUSE IT SAYS HE POURED IT OUT. AFTER HE POURED IT OUT HE SAID, HEY GOD, THERE IT IS. THAT’S WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO.

IN VERSE 3 IT SAYS “MY SPIRIT WAS OVERWHELMED WITHIN ME...” NOW IT’S POSSIBLE FOR A CHILD OF GOD TO BE OVERWHELMED WITH THE SITUATIONS OF LIFE. BEING OVERWHELMED IS THE SAME THING AS BEING COMPLETELY ENGULFED OR TO BE COMPLETELY OVERFLOWING WITH SOMETHING. THEN HE SAID: “THEN THOU KNEWEST MY PATH...” I’M GLAD GOD KNOWS THE PATH WE’RE ON. THEN HE SAID: “IN THE WAY WHEREIN I WALKED HAVE THEY PRIVLY LAID A SNARE FOR ME.”

NOW I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS VERSE 4. “I LOOKED ON MY RIGHT HAND, AND BEHELD, BUT THERE WAS NO MAN THAT WOULD KNOW ME: REFUGE FAILED ME; NO MAN CARED FOR MY SOUL.” THIS IS THE CONCLUSION DAVID CAME TO: NO MAN CARED FOR HIS SOUL.

IT’S VERY EASY FOR YOU AND ME TONIGHT TO HAVE THE SAME FEELINGS THAT DAVID HAD IN THESE VERSES. DAVID IS GOING THROUGH SOME HARD TIMES. HE BEGAN TO LOOK AROUND AND HE SAID: WHERE WAS EVERYBODY. YOU SEE THIS ISN’T THE WAY IT WAS BACK IN 1 SAMUEL 22. IN THAT PASSAGE WHEN DAVID WAS FLEEING FROM SAUL, THERE WERE SOME OTHER FOLK THAT WERE FLEEING FROM SAUL ALSO. AND HE SAID: “THOSE THAT WERE IN DISTRESS SOUGHT ME OUT.” “THOSE THAT WERE DISCOURAGED AND DISCONTENTED SOUGHT ME OUT.” THERE WERE OVER FOUR HUNDRED OF THESE PEOPLE THAT DAVID OUT AND THEY LIVED IN CAVES FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME AND WHEN DAVID WAS HAVING TROUBLE THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT LIVED AROUND HIM AT ALL TIMES. NOW DAVID IS GOING THROUGH ANOTHER PROBLEM AND THIS CROWD IS NOT THERE. AND HE SAID: “NO MAN CARED FOR MY SOUL.” NOBODY SEEMED TO REALLY BE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS SITUATION. IT’S VERY EASY FOR YOU AND ME TO FEEL THAT WAY ALSO. IT’S VERY EASY FOR US TO FEEL LIKE EVEN THE PASTOR DOESN’T CARE, THE CHILDREN DON’T CARE, THE CONGREGATION DOESN’T CARE. HOW MANY OF US HAVE SAID IN OUR HEARTS OR EVEN THROUGH OUR VOICE THAT NOBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE SITUATION I’M IN. NOBODY REALLY CARES WHAT I’M GOING THROUGH. I’M BEARING THIS LOAD BY MYSELF AND NOBODY EVEN CARES FOR ME. IT’S BAD ENOUGH TO SAY THAT PEOPLE DON’T CARE ABOUT THEM BUT SOME HAVE GOTTEN TO A PLACE WHERE THEY SAY EVEN GOD DOESN’T CARE FOR ME. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY CHURCH FOLK THAT ARE BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS THAT DUE TO A TRIAL IN THEIR LIFE THEY HAVE COME TO A PLACE WHERE THEY WONDER IF GOD HIMSELF EVEN CARES. MAYBE SOMEBODY HERE TONIGHT HAS PRAYED OR EVEN AGONIZED AND YOU MAY HAVE GONE TO GOD MANY MANY TIMES AND YOUR SITUATION HAS NOT CHANGED AND YOU WONDER IF GOD KNOWS WHERE YOU LIVE, GOD DO YOU REALLY CARE. YOU SEE WE COME TO CHURCH AND WE GET A LITTLE BIT REVIVED AND WE SHAKE SOME HANDS AND FELLOWSHIP AWHILE AND THEN WE GO BACK HOME TO THE SAME SITUATION. WE HAVE THE SAME ACHES AND PAINS AND THE SAME DISCOURAGEMENTS. AND SO WE SAY LORD, DO YOU EVEN CARE? LORD I KNOW THESE FOLKS AROUND ME DON’T CARE BUT LORD I THOUGHT YOU’D CARE.