We are going to the Psalter again today, the book of Psalms, the largest book in your bible, the book the perhaps best captures the human experience, recording within it all of the ups and downs we may experience, as well the all of the human emotions we may feel along this journey called life, under the sun, today we are going to Psalm 121…
Psalm 121 (NKJV)
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him
A Song of Ascents.
Ascents -?????????????? (lam·ma·‘a·lo·w?)
1) what comes up, thoughts 2) step, stairs 3) stories (of heaven) 4) song of ascent
Psalm 121 (NKJV)
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
Let’s pray..
In 1965 a young man, at the age of 25, who was literally sitting on top of the entertainment world wrote a song, that makes a good reference point for my messages introduction, and lays an excellent foundation for the message that I believe God has for us today.
That young man’s name was John Lennon, who was a member of a musical band that holds the record, even today, of the most musical units sold (by that I mean records, cd’s itune downloads, all the various ways in which music is sold) of all time. 183 million units, the monetary amount made from those sales is almost incalculable, the estimated amount being over 1 billion dollars.
The popularity of the band that he was the founder and leader of called the Beatles, was so great that the British press coined a phrase trying to define the utter hysteria that this band would cause at it came to city after city around the world to perform to hordes of screaming, weeping, hysterical mostly teenage fans. The term that used to describe it was Beatlemania!
Their popularity was so great that that Lennon in an interview that he primarily thought was somewhat off the record , made a comment that he later went on to deeply regret saying that the “Beatles were more popular, more well known, than Jesus Christ.” A statement he later apologized for, but in many quarters was never fully forgiven.
Anyway in the midst of this unprecedented historic popularity, a popularity that still remains unmatched in the entertainment world today, and regardless of the fact that the wealth that he amassed was almost incalculable, his net worth being estimated at $800 million dollars at the time of his death, he wrote a song that became the sound track for the groups second full -length movie. And the lyrics went like this…
Help, I need somebody
Help, not just anybody
Help, you I need someone – Help!
When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody’s help in any way
But now these days are gone, I’m not so self-assured
Now I find, I’ve changed my mind, and opened up the doors.
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being ‘round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me!
And when asked about the “meaning” behind those lyrics, this is what he said:
John Lennon- “This is only one of the two true songs I ever wrote, the other being ‘Strawberry Fields.”
Why was it real?
John Lennon- “Because I meant it. It’s real! When ‘Help!’ came out, I was crying out for help. Most people think it’s just a fast rock’n’roll song. But I was really crying out for help!
Well the help he was looking for first come through the use of drugs which never work, and then in the solace he found in a relationship that he developed with the avant-garde artist from Japan named Yoko One. A relationship he left his wife Cynthia for, and ended up marrying Ono on March 16th 1969. Relying on her so heavily, I believe it being due to the fact that he in all actuality had no mother. You see his mother Julia was deemed by her sister Mimi to be unfit to raise John for various reasons, and so she took John in her care. His father was unknown by John basically not being in his life in any meaningful way. Julia was then killed in a tragic accident where she was run down by a drunken policeman at the age of 17.
Anyway Ono seemed to fill the motherhood void that he had in his life, he literally referred to her as “mother.”
But that solace was short-lived because at the age of 40, he died at the hands of an assassin named Mark David Chapman who fired five bullets from a 38 revolver into his back as he was attempting to enter his apartment complex called the Dakota in New Your City on December the 8th of 1980, just one month after he released his most popular solo album since leaving the Beatles. An album called, “Double Fantasy” which was awarded the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards.
Now why did I take you down that road? FOR THIS REASON, TO POINT OUT THAT - no matter who you are, no matter how wealthy you may be, no matter how talented you may be, or popular, or prosperous, or spiritual that you think you are, LIFE WILL BRING YOU TO A PLACE I PROMISE YOU WHERE YOU WILL GET TO THE PLACE THAT LENNON DID WHEN HE WROTE THESE WORDS….
When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody’s help in any way
But now these days are gone, I’m not so self-assured
Now I find, I’ve changed my mind, and opened up the doors.
And you will turn in some direction, toward someone or something and say…
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me!
And my goal today is to point you to the RIGHT SONG, IF I MAY USE THIS LITTLE PLAY ON WORDS TO FIND THE RIGHT HELP, TO FIND REAL, LASTING, LIFE CHANGING, LIFE ALTERTING UNMATCHED, UNPARRALLED KIND OF HELP.
And the song that I am referring to is the song or psalm that we just read, That is why I’ve entitled today’s message…
Psalm 121 – A Psalm/Song of Help!
And that is exactly what a Psalm is…
Psalm – ???????? – mizmowr -A song, hymn, a poem set to music
And my proposition from this Psalm to you this morning is this:
A study of the psalm of help, Psalm 121 will point us in the right direction for us to find real, lasting, life-changing, life- saving, matchless, unparalleled, superior, supernatural kind of help that you need in this, troublesome, trial-filled, tenuous, problematic journey called “life under the sun!”
Ecclesiastes 1:14 I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.-NLT
Ecclesiastes 2:17 So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.-NLT
So having said all that let’s look at first of all…
I. The PLACE of help referred to in Psalm 121.
Psalm 121:1a I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, -NKJV
Psalm 121:1a I lift up my eyes to the mountains -NIV
A) Meaning of that?
B) Metaphorical - Literal?
1. Perhaps it could mean - BOTH?
2. Mountains/hills are a place of:
a) Safety
i. Jesus:
Matthew 24: 15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. -NIV
ii. Revelation of Jesus Christ:
Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! -NKJV
iii. The saying – “Head for the hills” means to move to higher ground, as in preparation for or response to a natural disaster.
b) Worship.
i. This is a Psalm of ascent
ii. More than likely this was a song that the worshipper was singing as he ascended to the heights of the city of Jerusalem to worship there!
a. Jesus said on his journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover:
Matthew 20:17 Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death.- NKJV
Luke 18:31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled-NIV
b. Jerusalem is always up in the bible.
iii. Offering of Isaac – took place on a mountain
Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” -NIV
iv. Giving of the Law– took place on a mountain
Exodus 19:3a Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain -NKJV
Exodus 19:20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up-NKJV
v. The Transfiguration– took place on a mountain
Matthew 17:1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.-NIV
vi. Ascension– took place on a mountain!
Acts 1:9b (Jesus) he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.-NIV
C) Malignant point:
1. Idolatry– took place on a mountain!
1 Kings 14:23 (Israelites) They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree.
2 Kings 17:10 They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree.
Jeremiah 2:20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.
Jeremiah 3:6 During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there.
D) Motif – subject, theme, dominant idea?
1. Don’t look to the hills for help – look a little higher!
Who made the mountains, who made the trees
Who made the rivers flow to the seas
And who sends the rain when the earth is dry
Somebody bigger than you and I..
Who made the flowers to bloom in the spring
Who made the song for the robins to sing
And who hung the moon in the starry sky
Somebody bigger than you and I…
Psalm 121: 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. – THE MESSAGE
2. Place from which help comes from?
a) Heaven!!
James 1:16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.-NIV
Matt Redman -There is a moment, every heart needs a rescue, There is a season, every soul needs a breakthrough, Help from heaven, We all need, help from heaven!
Ok so we looked at:
I. The PLACE of help referred to in Psalm 121.
Let’s now consider…
II. The PERSON who helps in Psalm 121.
Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
A) Person?
1. The Lord - ??????? (Yah·weh)
a) Jehovah = 'The Self -Existing; All Sufficient One!
B) Point?
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
1. Why an ever-present help?
a) WE NEED HELP!
John 16:33b In this world you will have trouble.-NIV
Job 5:7 Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.-NIV
John Gill- God is a very present help in trouble; whether inward or outward, of soul or body; the Lord helps his people under it to bear it, and he helps them out of it in the most proper and seasonable time: they are poor helpless creatures in themselves; nor can any other help them but the Lord, who made heaven and earth; and he helps presently, speedily, and effectually: in the Hebrew text it is, "he is found an exceeding help in trouble." In all kind of trouble that the saints come into, the Lord has been found, by experience, to be an exceeding great helper of them; moreover, he is easily and always to be come at, and found by them for their help.
Charles Spurgeon - What a mercy that we have it in our God. Our hope is in Jehovah, for our help comes from him. Help is on the road, and will not fail to reach us in due time, for he who sends it to us was never known to be too late. Jehovah who created all things is equal to every emergency; heaven and earth are at the disposal of him who made them, therefore let us be very joyful in our infinite helper. He will sooner destroy heaven and earth than permit his people to be destroyed, and the perpetual hills themselves shall bow rather than he shall fail whose ways are everlasting. We are bound to look beyond heaven and earth to him who made them both: it is vain to trust the creatures: it is wise to trust the Creator.
C) Problem?
1. We don’t USUALLY lift up our eyes or look to Him – FIRST!
a) God is RARELY our first option!!
b) God is USUALLY Our Last Resort?
2. Why is that?
a) Ignorance!
Whenever we find ourselves in “a situation”, whether it be small or significant, we typically have multiple choices insofar as a resolution is concerned. We reach out to Dad or Mom, to another trusted relation, to casual or trusted friends or even strangers; we can pick up one or more of a literally eye-popping variety of self-help books/tapes, we write our thoughts in a diary or blog, consult a psychologist, talk to a rabbi, imam, priest, swami, minister or reverend, use scream therapy or other self-realization/self-awareness/there-is-nobody-like-me techniques, indulge in sex, practice yoga, participate in all manner of strenuous exercise, use drugs and/or alcohol, overeat or starve ourselves, go shopping, clam up or confess our souls to anyone who will listen, drown ourselves in sports, arts, traveling, or invoke a time-tested method of laziness known as doing nothing…[We do all this in spite of the fact that the] Holy Scripture exemplifies God as humanity’s “help”.
b) Sixteen times the scripture refers to God as a helper!!
Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. -ESV
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -ESV
Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”- ESV
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – ESV
Jennifer Rothschild – *H.E.L.P acronym from 4 Psalms to Pray When You Need God's Help!
H - "Hear me Lord and answer me for I am poor and needy." Psalm 86:1
The first step is to let God know that you need him and want His help.
E - "Establish my steps in your word." Psalm 119:133
Second, ask God for His direction and for strength to stand firm in His promises.
L - "Let your compassion quickly meet our needs because we are on the brink of despair." Psalm 79:8
We often need help because of our past choices and sin. Ask God to help you focus on his compassion and grace to lift you out of your despair and heart ache.
P - "Protect me God because I take refuge in You. I say to the Lord, You are my Lord, apart from You I have nothing good." Psalm 16:1
Whether it's spiritual protection from Satan's attacks or physical protection, we can come to God and ask Him to be our protector and provider. Seek refuge and lean on God, not your own strength or abilities. God promises to be your refuge if you will let Him!
D) Point?
Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.
E) PROBLEM?
Psalm 50:15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." - NIV
Psalm 50:15 Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” -NLT
Psalm 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.-ESV
1. Dishonors, Discredits God, when we don’t turn to Him -FIRST!
Albert Barnes - We honor God by coming to him with confidence in the day of calamity. There is no way in which we can honor God more, or show more clearly that we truly confide in him, than by going to him when everything seems to be dark; when his own ways and dealings are wholly incomprehensible to us, and committing all into his hands.
Guideposts - Feb 8, 2019 -The Inspiring Life of George Müller
George Müller founded schools and orphanages while serving as a missionary in Bristol, England, in the early 1800s. His humble testimony regarding God’s miraculous provision for thousands of needy children under his care still inspires our faith today.
My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.--Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
Night was falling over the harbor of Bristol, England, and in the orphanage founded by George Müller and his wife, the children were getting ready for bed. George was working in his study when his wife arrived with alarming news. “We’re out of milk,” she said. “There isn’t enough for the morning oatmeal.”
George laid aside his pen. This wasn’t the first time that money needed to buy food and other supplies was tight. The Müllers took in their first group of thirty girls in 1836, and their orphanage now housed over a hundred. From the first George remained resolved never to ask for funds from people or to borrow money. He went to God alone for every need, trusting wholly in the Lord’s faithfulness and provision.
The pastor rose from his desk and reached for his wife’s hand. “Mary,” he said, “let us pray.” Two orphanage employees joined them, and together they made their humble yet necessary request to God. Tiny, helpless mouths were depending on them for sustenance. “Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him,” George reminded them afterwards, “He will never fail you.”
Someone knocked on the door. Mary hurried to answer, returning to the study a moment later. She handed her husband an envelope. “It’s a letter, George. Hurry up and open it.”
Enclosed was a sum of money, more than enough for the milk. Within minutes, two more letters arrived with money and pledges of support.
This immediate and abundant response to prayer had become a typical experience for Müller. After he came to faith and started meditating seriously on the Bible, he determined to simply trust God at His Word.
George had grown up the privileged, arrogant son of a lawyer and routinely, drank, gambled and skipped out on bills. As revealed in The Autobiography of George Müller, one night he went to a prayer meeting, and everything changed. He got rid of his library of over three hundred books and kept only one, the Bible, the only book George felt he now needed.
One night while seeking the Lord regarding the orphanage, he heard, “Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.” And so a great experiment of faith began.
Faced with difficulties regarding the rented houses where the children lived, he dreamed of building an orphan’s home on its own land and with every amenity. It took eighteen months to amass the initial sum of money, and throughout that time George counted the days he spent in prayer and recorded the funds as they trickled in. Each donation was God’s answer to his prayer rather than the fruit of a plea to man for money. It spurred him to continue. Eventually he built five homes, costing more than $100,000 to build, which is over $14,000,000 in today’s currency.
Crossway - What George Mueller Can Teach Us about Prayer -by: Donald S. Whitney
Through his orphanage in Bristol, George Mueller cared for as many as two thousand orphans at a time—more than ten thousand in his lifetime. Yet he never made the needs of his ministries known to anyone except to God in prayer.
He had over fifty thousand specific recorded answers to prayers in his journals, thirty thousand of which he said were answered the same day or the same hour that he prayed them. Think of it: that’s five hundred definite answers to prayer each year—more than one per day—every single day for sixty years! God funneled over half a billion dollars (in today’s dollars) through his hands in answer to prayer.
John Piper - Mueller's faith that his prayers would be answered was rooted in the sovereignty of God. When faced with a crisis in having the means to pay a bill he would say, “How the means are to come, I know not; but I know that God is almighty, that the hearts of all are in His hands, and that, if He is pleased to influence persons, they will send help.” That was the root of his confidence: God is almighty, the hearts of all men are in his hands, and when God chooses to influence their hearts they will give.
John Piper – George Mueller was sustained in this extraordinary life by his deep convictions that God is sovereign over the human heart and can turn it where he wills in answer to prayer; and that God is sovereign over life and death; and that God is good in his sovereignty and withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly.
George Mueller –“My dear Christian reader, will you not try this way? Will you not know for yourself . . . the preciousness and the happiness of this way of casting all your cares and burdens and necessities upon God? This way is as open to you as to me. . . . Every one is invited and commanded to trust in the Lord, to trust in Him with all his heart, and to cast his burden upon Him, and to call upon Him in the day of trouble. Will you not do this, my dear brethren in Christ? I long that you may do so. I desire that you may taste the sweetness of that state of heart, in which, while surrounded by difficulties and necessities, you can yet be at peace, because you know that the living God, your Father in heaven, cares for you.
2 Chronicles 14:1 And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Asa his son succeeded him as king, and in his days the country was at peace for ten years. Asa King of Judah 2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.
2 Chronicles 14:16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. 13 Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors.
2 Kings 20: 1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
2 Kings 20: 4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer
III. The PARTICULAR kind of help found in Psalm 121.
A) PRESERVATION!
1. Preserve – ????? -chayah
a) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
b) to restore to life, to cause to grow, to revive, let live, to quicken
Charles Spurgeon- Promised preservation should be the subject of perpetual prayer; and we may pray believing; for those who have God for their keeper shall be safe from all the perils of the way.
B) Particulars that he preserves me from?
Psalm 121:3a He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:-KJV
Psalm 121:3a He will not let your foot slip -NIV
Psalm 121:3a He will not let you stumble; - NLT
1. Slippage!
a) Slip – ???????- shaphak
i. to pour, to be poured out, to shed (blood).
b) Slip – ???? -mowt-?
i. to totter, shake, slip, to be shaken, be moved, be overthrown, to dislodge, let fall, drop
Psalm 94: 17 If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. 18 When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.-ESV
B) Point?
1. “His Grip Don’t Slip!”
a) He’s Got Ya!!
Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
b) Invite him to:
“Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on let me stand
I’m tired, I’m weak, I’m worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.
Psalm 31: 14 Lord, I trust you. I have said, “You are my God.” 15a My life is in your hands. - NCV
Charles Spurgeon-Whatever is to come out of our life, is in our heavenly Father's hand. He guards the vine of life, and He also protects the clusters which shall be produced thereby. If life be as a field, the field is under the hand of the great Husbandman, and the harvest of that field is with Him also. The ultimate results of His work of grace upon us, and of His education of us in this life, are in the highest hand. The close of life is not decided by the sharp knife of the fates; but by the hand of love. We shall not die before our time, neither shall we be forgotten and left upon the stage too long. Not only are we ourselves in the hand of the Lord, but also all that surrounds us!
2. Slumbering!
Psalm 121:3b He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep. -NKJV
a) Point?
i. We fall asleep spiritually at times, but He doesn’t!
Mark 14: 37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41a Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough!-KJV
b) Perspective?
i. He wakes us up physically!
Isaiah 50:4 The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.-NIV
ii. He wakes us up spiritually!
Ephesians 5:14b it says: "Awake you, the one sleeping, and rise up out from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you."-BSB
iii. He will wake us up permanently- from the dead!
1 Thessalonians 4: 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Luke 8: 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.-NKJV
iv. He watches over us – PERSISTANTLY!
There was a bishop named Qualls, who was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1908. He was known for working for God, rather than allowing God to work through him. The thought of that came home to the Minister with great impact one night. He was fighting an exhausting battle, losing sleep but he reported that he heard God say to his heart one night:
God – “Quail there's no need for both of us to stay up all night. I'm going to stay up alnight anyway. Why don’t you go to bed and get a good night’s sleep?”
a. Point?
Psalm 127 (NIV)
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court..
Our Daily Bread - Watchful Love
God gives us His full attention, for “he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). God is not only compassionately watchful, He is sleepless! He does not need sleep and is always by our side. He guards us and will never doze off and let something disastrous happen. Nothing catches Him by surprise. We may be surprised, but He is never caught off guard. The idea of the watchful God is repeatedly emphasized in Psalm 121. He watches over Israel, the nation and the community (v. 4). He also watches over you, personally (v. 5). A little baby sleeping peacefully in his crib, an elderly woman suffering aches and pains and sleeplessness, a man whose business has failed, a woman who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness—all these are noticed by the God who watches over all. God has no blind spots. He sees all.
The idea of the watchful God is repeatedly emphasizd in Psalm 121. The Lord “will watch over your coming and going” (v. 8). He is interested in all the details of our lives, and at all stages. He does not lose interest in us, but cares for us because he created each one of us. He is there in the morning, He is there at noon, in the evening, and in the dead of night. His presence is not oppressive , but protective and comforting.
Psalm 121:3b He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep. -NKJV
Charles Spurgeon- This consoling truth must be repeated: it is too rich to be dismissed in a single line. It were well if we always imitated the sweet singer, and would dwell a little upon a choice doctrine, sucking the honey from it. What a glorious title is in the Hebrew -- "The keeper of Israel," and how delightful to think that no form of unconsciousness ever steals over him, neither the deep slumber nor the lighter sleep. He will never suffer the house to be broken up by the silent thief; he is ever on the watch, and speedily perceives every intruder. This is a subject of wonder, a theme for attentive consideration, therefore the word "Behold" is set up as a waymark. Israel fell asleep, but his God was awake.
b. Perspective:
i) Whether we sleep at night is a testament, as to whether we believe that our God is the living God who neither slumbers or sleeps!
I Kings 18: 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
I Kings 18: 22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
I Kings 18: 26 Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
"The Biblical Treasury", 1873.
A number of years ago Captain D. commanded a vessel sailing from Liverpool to New York, and on one voyage he had all his family with him on board the ship.
One night, when all were quietly asleep, there arose a sudden squall of wind, which came sweeping over the waters until it struck the vessel, and instantly threw her on her side, tumbling and crashing everything that was moveable, and awakening the passengers to a consciousness that they were in imminent peril.
Everyone on board was alarmed and uneasy, and some sprang from their berths and began to dress, that they might be ready for the worst.
Captain D. had a little girl on board, just eight years old, who, of course, awoke with the rest.
"What's the matter?" said the frightened child.
They told her a squall had struck the ship.
"Is father on deck?" said she.
"Yes; father's on deck."
The little thing dropped herself on her pillow again without a fear, and in a few moments was sleeping sweetly in spite of winds or waves.
Fear not the windy tempests wild,
Thy bark they shall not wreck;
Lie down and sleep, O helpless child!.
Thy Father's on the deck. "
Albert Barnes - Man sleeps; a sentinel may slumber on his post, by inattention, by long-continued wakefulness, or by weariness; a pilot may slumber at the helm; even a mother may fall asleep by the side of the sick child; but God is never exhausted, is never weary, is never inattentive. He never closes his eyes on the condition of his people, on the needs of the world.
Warren Wiersbe- When we go to sleep, we know that the Father is caring for us, and when we awaken, He is there to greet us (91:1-6). If we awaken in the night, we can fellowship with Him and meditate on His Word (119:55, 62, 147-148). If God never slumbers nor sleeps, why should we stay awake all night, tossing and turning and fretting?
The Biblical Illustrator- There is no sleep with God. His eye is ever upon His people for good. That great eye never closes. That great eye is as bright and piercing as ever, and not for a single instant is the vigilance relaxed.
Psalm 121:5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Q: Thy Shade against what?
3. Sunburn
a) Sun -poisoning!
Abraham Kuyper- Oh, we sons of the West do not know the glory which lies embedded in this short word to the man of the East. Dog-days excepted, the sun is never the fierce tyrant to us that makes life a burden. The sun is to us a lovely something which we seek. The sun refreshes and cherishes us. We love his radiancy.
Abraham Kuyper- But in the land where the Prophets prophesied and the Psalmists sang, where Jesus walked about and the disciples dwelt, all powers of invention are on the alert, and by means of thick walls, heavy hangings, high trees, and long white garments try to modify the fierce tyranny of the sun. In the hot season everything there burns, everything glows, everything singes, and on the table-lands of the desert, man and beast are helpless victims of the scorching sand below, and of the burning sky above… all this, is imagery of the struggle of God's people and of life's battle on the part of His servants…
Abraham Kuyper- You have to do with an enemy, a persecutor, whom you know, whom you see before you, and whose blows come down upon you, and you are in need of a shield…, but a father in the desert can himself take the side of the sun, and so be a shade for his child that walks with him… And this is the picture the Psalmist brings to mind when he sings: "The Lord is thy Shade upon thy right hand."
Abraham Kuyper- Your God does not leave you to yourself... The heat may singe, but the Lord follows after you. He comes to you. He draws very near to you. He places Himself between this heat of the sun and yourself. He takes you by the hand. He covers you with the shade which His Majestic greatness casts upon you. And so you go on upon your way with gladness, refreshed by the love of God and covered by His holy Shade.
4. Sanity!
Psalm 121: 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
a) Lunar –of or relating to the moon.
i. Luna (goddess) In ancient Roman religion and myth, is the divine embodiment of the Moon. She is the moon goddess, or the goddess of the moon.
ii. Lunatic – Someone affected with a severely disordered state of mind : insane.
History. Com- 7 Myths and Theories About the Moon
1. Full moons make you crazy.
Since ancient times, full moons have been associated with odd or insane behavior, including sleepwalking, suicide, illegal activity, fits of violence and, of course, transforming into werewolves. Indeed, the words “lunacy” and “lunatic” come from the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna, who was said to ride her silver chariot across the dark sky each night. For thousands of years, doctors and mental health professionals believed in a strong connection between mania and the moon.
History. Com- 7 Myths and Theories About the Moon
Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, wrote in the fifth century B.C. that “one who is seized with terror, fright and madness during the night is being visited by the goddess of the moon.” In 18th-century England, people on trial for murder could campaign for a lighter sentence on grounds of lunacy if the crime occurred under a full moon.
b) Point?
i. God shield us from that!
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Romans 8:7 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. -NIV
Got Questions - The influence of the Spirit of God produces a genuinely sound mind. The sound mind Paul speaks of is a mind under the control of God’s Holy Spirit.
Got Questions -In the sense of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7) , the word denotes careful, rational, sensible thinking. Having a sound mind requires a thought process based on the wisdom and clarity that God imparts rather than being manipulated by fear.
Got Questions - Today, as in Timothy’s day, fear is a driving force in the world. Fear inspires the news headlines, motivates advertising campaigns, and stirs up social media frenzies. Fear is one of Satan’s favorite devices to confuse our minds, cause irrational thoughts, misunderstandings, and derail us from the will of God. For this reason, the Word of God encourages us to cultivate a healthy, renewed mind that can process right-thinking based on God’s truth: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
iv. When we worship (praise, pray, etc) versus worry, a very beneficial thing happens!
Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.- NIV
v. When we don’t the very opposite!
a. Many Christians know Philippians 4:4-7 in theroy, but unfortunately the following is more in line with their Practice!
b. It is almost as though the live like Philippians 4:4-7 said this:
Worry about everything always worry, no matter what I say worry. Let your anxiety be evident to all, by talking and speaking and acting as if the Lord did not exists! Be anxious in every situation, by plugging in your TV (that one-eyed devil) and plunking yourself down consistently and persistently in front to the frantic, fanatical evening news cast. And by all means don’t pray, but rather get on the phone can call everyone and anyone who will legitimize and confirm your fears and opinions, don’t forget to get on face book to, to share your rants with others. And the potential of being on tranquilizers will greatly be enhanced, and drive you out of your mind as though there was no Christ Jesus!
Got Questions - A sound mind is a stable, healthy mind….A sound mind is not overly concerned with the cares and problems of this life but is set on God and His Kingdom (Colossians 1:1–2). A sound mind is alert and sober, focused on the eternal hope we have in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).
Got Questions - A sound mind recognizes who we are in Christ, and does not depend on human wisdom and strength (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). A sound mind is guarded through prayer and purity: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:6–8). A sound mind stabilizes our entire inner world.
Psalm 121: 7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
5. Soul
a) Soul – ?????? -nephesh
a. living being
Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.-KJV
b. Life and soul are interchangeably used.
Matthew 16: 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?-KJV
b) Soul - ???? - psyche
i. the breath of life
ii.the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing
iii.life
David Wilkerson - God is telling us, "I've got every area of your life covered, even things you can't see. You can surely rest in me."
Psalm 121:8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
6. Salvation!
a) God will keep your eternally – forever-more!
Adoniram Judson- He has not led me so tenderly thus far to forsake me at the very gate of heaven!
Charles Spurgeon- His keeping is eternal; continuing from this time forth, even for evermore. The whole church is thus assured of everlasting security: the final perseverance of the saints is thus ensured, and the glorious immortality of believers is guaranteed. Under the aegis of such a promise we may go on pilgrimage without trembling, and venture into battle without dread. None are so safe as those whom God keeps; none so much in danger as the self secure.
1 Peter 1: 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Psalm 48:14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.-ESV
Psalm 136 (NIV)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever
Michael W Smith-Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever and ever, forever
b) Point?
i. God Preserves His People - FOREVER!
CLOSE?
1. Where do you look for your help?
2. Who do you turn to for help – REALLY?
We know that in truth, that we depend on God for our very existence (Acts 17:28; Colossians 1:16–17). We also rely upon God for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9). Yet on a day-to-day basis, we sometimes find it difficult to rely on God and instead find ourselves depending on our own strength or on worldly wisdom.
a) Practical ways to depend on God?
i. Pray
ii. Pay – tithes
iii. Promises – believe
iv. Wait – for the answer
v. Worship while you wait
