The Lord's Day Bible Message Outlines
March 1, 2009
Pastor Dana Johnson
"While they say continually to me,
'Where is your God?'"
-Psalm
42:3
My tears have been my food day and
night, While they continually say to me, "Where is your
God?"
1. God's people are not immune from
various troubles associated with life on this planet.
For example:
Habakkuk 3:17-19 -
Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the
vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the
fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from
the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls;
18yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in
the God of my salvation. 19The LORD God is my
strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will
make me walk on my high hills.
David:
2 Samuel 15:6, 13-14
- In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to
the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the
men of Israel. 13Now a messenger came to David,
saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."
14So David said to all his servants who were with
him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or we shall not
escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake
us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city
with the edge of the sword."
2. At these times we may find out who
are our true friends and who are our enemies.
a.
2 Samuel 15:19-21
-Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you
also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For
you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own
place. 20In fact, you came only yesterday.
Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since
I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren
back. Mercy and truth be with you." 21And
Ittai answered the king and said, "As the LORD lives, and
as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my
lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even
there also your servant will be."
b. 2
Samuel 16:5-8,13 - Now when King David came to Bahurim,
there was a man from the family of the house of Saul,
whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there.
He came out, cursing continuously as he came.
6And he threw stones at David and at all the
servants of King David. And all the people and all the
mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come
out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!
8The LORD has brought upon you all the blood
of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned;
and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of
Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil,
because you are a bloodthirsty man!" 13And as
David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along
the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw
stones at him and kicked up dust.
3. Consider the general reaction of
the world to your troubles:
a. They have no concern for
you, and no real interest in your God.
b. In a twisted form of
self-justification they are critical of:
1) Your God.
Psalm 42:2 - My
soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I
come and appear before God?
2) Your relationship to God.
Psalm 42:8-9 -
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the
daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me; a
prayer to the God of my life. 9I will say
to God my Rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why do I
go mourning because of the oppression of the
enemy?"
3) Your love for God.
Psalm 42:1 -
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my
soul for You, O God.
4) Your faith in God.
Psalm 42:5-8 -
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you
disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet
praise Him for the help of His countenance.
6O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
therefore I will remember You from the land of the
Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill
Mizar. 7Deep calls unto deep at the noise
of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have
gone over me. 8The LORD will command His
lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His
song shall be with me; a prayer to the God of my
life.
5) Your commitment to
church.
Psalm 42:4 -
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul
within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went
with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy
and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim
feast.
c. Their opinion is that your
trials are evidence that:
1) You are a misguided
zealot.
2) Or, you are not being blessed
by God because of personal failure.
4. In response to the world's opinion,
which may plant a seed of doubt in the soul, we
should:
a. Hope in God.
Psalm 42:5, 11 -
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you
disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise
Him for the help of His countenance. 11Why are
you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted
within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the
help of my countenance and my God.
Psalm 43:5 - Why are
you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted
within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the
help of my countenance and my God.
b. Remember the example of Christ,
the Son of David.
Matthew 27:41-44
-Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the
scribes and elders, said, 42"He saved others;
Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let
Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe
Him. 43He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him
now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of
God.'" 44Even the robbers who were crucified
with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
1 Peter 2:21-23 - For to this you were called, because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
you should follow His steps: 22"Who committed
no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth";
23who, when He was reviled, did not revile in
return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but
committed Himself to Him who judges
righteously.
(All
Scripture quoted is from the New King James
Version)
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