BEFDL 10 (FROM HGM ON 16 NOV)

 BIBLICAL ELEMENTS FOR DAILY LIVING-10

TEXT:  "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."  (I Samuel 30:6)

I.   ENCOURAGING OURSELVES IN THE LORD

      A.  Champion boxers have an expression that goes "you're only good as your last fight" and this seems to be the case with King David. With all of the past battles he won in proving the hand of the LORD was with him, he still faces mutiny among his men.

      B.  Returning back to camp their camp, they are surprised to discover that the Amalekites have kidnapped their wives and children. There is nothing ordinary about this trial, since it strikes hard and deep to that which is closet to their hearts.  As a matter of fact, this is such a low point for the people and David alike, that they literally weep away their strength until nothing is left.

      C.  Have you ever reached the place where you have been emptied of all hope in self?  There isn't much left, is there?  David's distress did not end with the loss of his own family; it is also over the fear of reprisal from his followers. 

       D.  But in all this, he does not give up.  He does a remarkable thing.  Resisting any tendency of self-pity, he decides at the end of himself to seek the Lord.  The Bible tells us, "but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."  Meaning he worshiped the LORD and revived his strength to action. 

       E.  This is more than human fortitude; it is the pouring out of one's soul before the LORD in the knowledge that only His enabling power is capable of dealing with something beyond our control.

      F.  There will always be those perplexing circumstances in our life. "

   "Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward."  (Job 5:7)  It is not by accident that we have afflictions and troubles.  God, Himself has purposed them into our lives.

      G.  Just as the blade of an axe is applied to the grinding stone to be sharpened, so will the life of man experience adversity in refining him.  In the process, it may kick up all kinds  of debris, yet out of such chaos will come God's arrangement and order for our life. 

       H.  Like David, we need to learn how to roll the heaviness of heart over to the Lord in times of tribulation.  Things, life, our burdens have a way of becoming heavy, but as the hymn goes, "we often carry burdens to heavy, because we have not taken them to the Lord in prayer."

       I.   But when we take them to the Lord,  when we encourage ourselves in the Lord we are strengthened by the Lord.  There is no real strength outside the Lord.  All other strength will weaken us and we will fall. 

       J.  All other strength, not of God, will fail us when the winds of life blow, when we are shaken by situations and circumstances.

            "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."  (Psalm 8:2)

Out of the mouth of the most vulnerable human beings in terms of having no ability to defend themselves, God has ordained that they have His strength.

      K.  We are given strength in the weak place, when our enemies are mighty against us, so that we may know God's divine strength.         

      L.  Approached how?  With a humble heart as a child. Thus, it is to our advantage that when we find ourselves in moments of weakness, and we will, we respond by encouraging ourselves in the Lord strengthening our hearts, through praise.

      M.  Jesus was making this point to the Pharisees,

             "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. ¹⁵ And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased," (Matthew 21:14-15) Jesus turns to them and says almost the same words form Psalm 8:2, "And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"  (Matthew 21:16)

The blind and lame have no strength, like little children they come to receive healing and strength from the One who holds all strength.

II.   PARTING THOUGHTS

      A.  Clearly, when one is weak and at wit's end, this is a time when either our faith will move the mountain or the mountain will remove our faith.  In any event, we must turn to God to encourage ourselves. 

      B.  It is then we come and stand in His presence, worshipping Him with the attitude that says, "Lord, regardless of the circumstance and situation, my eyes are upon thee for the strength and the know-how."