When Your World is Turned upside Down
Psalms 34 and; 1 Samuel 21:10-15
1 A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away. I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. 2 I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are discouraged take heart. 3 Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. 4 I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. 6 I cried out to the LORD in my suffering, and he heard me. He set me free from all my fears. 7 For the angel of the LORD guards all who fear him, and he rescues them. 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! 9 Let the LORD’s people show him reverence, for those who honor him will have all they need. 10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will never lack any good thing.
11 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD. 12 Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? 13 Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! 14 Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. 15 The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. 16 But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. 17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The righteous face many troubles, but the LORD rescues them from each and every one. 20 For the LORD protects them from harm – not one of their bones will be broken! 21 Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. Everyone who trusts in him will be freely pardoned.
I His World Was Turned Upside Down 1 Samuel:21-10-15
David was a shepherd boy
Became a Hero by fighting Goliath
Became the Court Muscian for the King
Became a national war hero - Women sang “Saul killed thousands, But David has killed 10,000.”
Annointed the next king by Samuel
LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!
Then his World was turned upside down!
Then Saul (demonized) got jealous of David and tried to kill him several times.
David fled being pursued by the army of the king in his homeland.
Finally in desperation he leaves his rag tag army and goes into enemy territory to hide
But he is recognized as their enemy war hero.
Fear grips him, he is all alone, no family, no friends, no army, no country,
He begins to act like he is insane so they wouldn’t kill him
Have you had your world turned upside down like this? This was written for you.
-The sudden death of a loved one
-Divorce in your family- Your’s -Your parents,
-An eviction notice
-Loss of a Job
-Diagnosis of life threatening illness -cancer, aids, heart trouble
-bullied at school, My school bus experience -I thought I was in trouble so I stayed home.
-Facing bankruptcy
-Unexpected pregnancy, or of child
-Birth of child with birth defects
Dr Tom Whitman from Caring for people God’s way. He graduated from Bible college and four years into ministry his wife left him for someone else. He wondered where can I work with a bible college degree, because I can’t be a pastor being divorced. Where will I live? What will I do?
Eight Feelings or things that seem like reality when your life is turned upside down.
1. It feels/seems like you are all alone
2. It feels/seems like God is not good. (At least not to you)
3. Your fears begin to multiply. (You fear everything but God)
4. It feels/seems like God has abandoned you or is unaware of your situation.
5. It seems like God doesn’t see or hear my cries for help.
6. It feels/seems like God is at best far away (Distant).
7. It feels/seems like God isn’t fair.
8. It feels/seems like this will never get better. (No hope for future)
II His Writing About God’s Help
This is like his dear diary , or spiritual journal, This later became a worship song written about what God had done.
He wasn’t out of the woods yet, Saul was still out there, but he was praising God for the rescue in the immediate past. David stopped and praised God for the immediate deliverance from God, even though he wasn’t saved from Saul yet.
A. Testifying to God’s help for the benefit of those still in the Fire 1-3 (Let the afflicted hear)
-Praise changes our focus from the problem to the solution- God.
-It also helps those who hear it. It lifts their faith.
B. Testifying to God’s Deliverance from all he feared would Happen v4
-David didn’t lose all his fears here, but God delivered him from all the things he fears would happen in this situation. He feared he would be killed or tortured by the Philistines.
Has the Lion Read the Book?
Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. “Keep calm” the first explorer whispered. “Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run.”
“Sure,” replied and his companion. “You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But has the lion read the book?”
A man who hid for 32 years fearing punishment of pro-Nazi wartime activity says he used to cry when he heard happy voices outside, but dared not show himself even at his mother’s funeral. Janez Rus was a young shoemaker when he went into hiding at his sister’s farmhouse in June, 1945. He was found years later after she bought a large supply of bread in the nearby village of Zalna. “If I had not been discovered, I would have remained in hiding. So I am happy that this happened,” Rus told a reporter. Throughout those years he did nothing. He never left the house, and could only look down at the village in the valley.
Today in the Word, October 17, 1993
Paralyzed by Fear
Like the children of Israel in today’s Bible reading, Hannah Hurnard, author of Hinds’ Feet on High Places, was once paralyzed by fear. Then she heard a sermon on scarecrows that challenged her to turn her fear into faith.
The preacher said, “A wise bird knows that a scarecrow is simply an advertisement. It announces that some very juicy and delicious fruit is to be had for the picking. There are scarecrows in all the best gardens...If I am wise, I too shall treat the scarecrow as though it were an invitation. Every giant in the way which makes me feel like a grasshopper is only a scarecrow beckoning me to God’s richest blessings.” He concluded, “Faith is a bird which loves to perch on scarecrows. All our fears are groundless.”
Our Daily Bread, April 6, 1995
C. Testifying to God’s encircling angels v7
John Demitt’s Wife, When I preached in Circleville about Angels, the pastors wife told me her story. She went down into town with the kids to do laundry. A terrible winter storm hit while she was there. She was really afraid so she prayed for God’s protection for the trip back up the hill to her home. She said she felt someone physically set down in the car seat beside her, although she saw no one. Then a vehicle went ahead of her and she was able to follow the tail lights. When she pulled into her driveway and stopped she felt someone physically leave the seat beside her, but again no one was visible. The Bible says angels are ministering spirits sent by God to help his people.
D. Testifying of the Goodness of God v8
-Does He not feel good right now?
-Does Circumstances in your life seem to say He is not good, as least to you?
-The truth is true if we believe it or not, feel it or not, understand how or not.
-Believe and confess it, because God’s word says it by faith!!
E. Teaching Others to Fear the Lord more than all else. 11-14
-more than people and their opinion of you, approval of you, -this is what got me through, and helped me do what was right. I feared God more than people.
F. Testifying of God’s Watchful care over Us v15-17
-We feel like God doesn’t know about our situation. The word here says His eyes are upon us and he is listening for our call for help. Just because he hasn’t rescued you yet, doesn’t mean he is unaware or doesn’t care. David reminds us of this truth.
G. Testifying to God’s Presence When Your World Turns upside Down 18-20
-While it may seem like you can’t feel or find God in the midst of your trouble, the word here says “God is near to the broken hearted”. Will you believe your feelings or God’s word??
H. Testifying to God’s Justice v21-22
-The righteous will be rewards
-the wicked will be punished.
-While it may seem like the wicked are rewarded and the righteous are punished for a while, remember what the psalmist discovered in Psalms 72. This apparent situation is temporary. God is not however on our timetable.
As I read Judges 9 this week I saw an example of this. Abimelech, Gideon’s son by prostitute who slaughtered 69 of Gideon’s sons became king, and it wasn’t until three years later God punished him. A woman dropped a millstone on his head. For three long years it seemed that sin was beneficial. Be not deceived God is not mocked, whatever a man sows that will he reap.
Conclusion:
Eight Truths From this Passage for people whose world has turned upside down.
1. You are not alone God’s presence is with you. (If you are a Christian)v18
2. God is good you can taste and see. (Experience it) v8
3. If you fear God you don’t have to fear anything else. V4,6-7
4. God is fully aware of your situation and already has a solution.v15
5. God’s eyes are watching you and his ears are listening to you cries.v15
6. God is near to the broken hearted.v18
7. God is just and fair, but not in our time. V21-22
8. God will deliver us out of all of our troubles. V19
Woman with a rope around her neck p. 5, 11 in Chick Publications.
A eleven year old boy passed tracts out with his pastor father on Sunday afternoons, but it was pouring down rain so he told his son he wasn’t going. The boy asked, “Aren’t people still going to hell when its raining?” So the boy went alone. The next Sunday an elderly lady stood up and said she wanted to share with the congregation. She said that her husband had died about a week ago, and she couldn’t go on without him. So she took a rope and a chair to the attic to kill herself. She put the rope around her neck and got on the chair, but a knock on the door caused her to pause. They will go away she thought. No one come to visit me anyway. But the knocking continued, and then they walked away. Then they came back and knocked again. She got down and opened the door and found a drenched little boy with a tract saying that God loves me. She said she read the tract and gave her heart to Jesus, and she wanted to come to the address of the church on the back to thank the boy for coming. God has a plan even when our world is upside down. Dr Richard Dobbins taught us “God already has a solution to your crisis, and he has already seen the other side of the trial, and he will take you there if you allow him.” Will you let him.
God wants to do more than rescue you -He wants you to learn something from every situation. So instead of asking WHY? Ask WHAT do you want to teach me?
Let’s stand and sing “Tell it to Jesus”
