January 19, 2012

"I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalms 77:11-12

This week I have been studying the 77th Psalm which deals with the very practical issue of discouragement and how to deal with it.

So far I have shared three of five concepts I find in this Psalm to help overcome or prevent discouragement. For sake of review those concepts are:

Concept One - Devotion Not Emotion

Concept Two - Perspective Not Panic

Concept Three - Certainty Not Speculation

This morning I will share the fourth concept for your consideration:

Concept #4 - RECOMMIT DON’T QUIT

Aseph was faced with the very same decision as you and I face when we are discouraged, “Why not just give up?”

Discouragement can cause you to lose hope and when you lose hope you can begin to wonder, "It this worth it? Why should I keep trying? Why not just quit?"

Quitting smoking is good! Quitting drugs is good! Giving up any harmful practice, attitude, habit or relationship is good. Quitting on God is never good. If you quit on faith what are you going to believe that is better? Oprah? Dr. Phil? And if you quit on God, where can you go?

"A majority of the great historic accomplishments of the past have been the final result of a persistent struggle against discouragement and failure. A man is never beaten until he thinks he is. Without perseverance, the chances of his succeeding are small indeed."

Harold Sherman, wrote a book “How to Turn Failure Into Success”. In it he gives a “Code of Persistence”

a. I will never give up so long as I know I am right.

b. I will believe that all things will work out for me if I hang on until the end.

c. I will be courageous and undismayed in the face of odds.

d. I will not permit anyone to intimidate me or deter me from my goals.

e. I will fight to overcome all physical handicaps and setbacks

f. I will try again and again and yet again to accomplish what I desire.

g. I will take new faith and resolution from the knowledge that all successful men and women have had to fight defeat and adversity.

h. I will never surrender to discouragement or despair no matter what seeming obstacles may confront me.

Winners never quit and quitters never win! Aseph was a winner. It was his job to lead God's people, including King David, in worship. He served at the pleasure of the King, it wasn't his to decide to quit. He had made a commitment to the King and to the Lord. A commitment means he had promised not to quit. That is the nature of commitment, it eliminates every other option including the option to quit. Commitment demands that when you feel like it is time to quit you recommit!

Perhaps you have been battling discouragement and you have come to the point of wondering if it is worth it to keep trying. Maybe you are about to quit on your faith or your marriage or your job. Let me encourage you that if you have made a commitment and sealed it with a promise, you don't need to quit you need to recommit!

January 18, 2012

Concept #3 - CERTAINTY NOT SPECULATION

“Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.” Psalm 77:13-14

Like Aseph, when I am struggling with bouts of discouragement it is very easy and, maybe even natural, to project the current troubles forward. Pain and problems have a way of eroding my attitude and causing me to think negatively. And the longer the trouble lasts the easier it is to begin assuming that it will continue. That feeds the discouragement.

I don’t know that the trouble will continue. There really is no way to know. But the pain and the panic and the problems can cause me to feel like they will never end or even get worse. That negative speculation regarding the future serves to deepen the anxiety and prompts negative or even fatalistic thoughts about tomorrow. Losing hope about tomorrow makes me more susceptible to adding to my discouragement.

So what do I do when I am already discouraged and my prognosis looks bleak? How should I respond when God seems deaf to my pleas for some relief and the heavens seem like brass?

I can continue to speculate about how bad it could be going forward OR I could go back and begin remembering the good things God has done for me in the past. That is what Aseph did. He did not give in to speculation but remembered that God is good even when times are bad and life is painful. I like that idea! That seems like a very good plan for battling discouragement.

So, I won’t speculate, rather retreat mentally to some of my favorite times with God when His goodness was obvious and His power was on display. When I don’t understand what God is up to I choose to focus on what I DO know about Him and what He has done and what He is still able to do! I choose certainty over speculation.

Will you?

I am certain that God is holy and that He is love and that He is powerful and He is righteous and He is good. I am certain that He loves me and has good plans for my future. I am certain that He is able to make all things work together for my good – even the painful things.

To work your way through a bout of discouragement, don’t speculate about what MIGHT happen. Rather choose to meditate on what you know for sure about God! When you are not sure what might happen focus on what you know - HE is in control.

CERTAINTY, NOT SPECULATION!

January 17, 2012

Concept # 2 - PERSPECTIVE NOT PANIC

“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?" Psalm 77:7-13

One of the signs of discouragement is a loss of perspective. Things in your headlights look bigger than they actually are and objects in your rearview mirror look better than they were. Perception often does become your reality and when you are seeing life as overwhelming it becomes overwhelming. As life overwhelms you it crushes the hope out of you giving rise to discouragement.

Another sign of discouragement is the use of exaggerations - “Will the Lord reject FOREVER?” – In your calmer moments you know better than that. But pain or problems can cause you to panic and lose your perspective. “Will he NEVER show his favor again?” Seriously, you know better. “Has his unfailing love vanished FOREVER?” Really? Uh, no! I think you get my point.

When you hear yourself or someone else using exaggerations like this, especially in regard to God, you should recognize that as a sign of panic. It is evidence of discouragement and a loss of perspective. If you don’t make an intentional effort to address the panic and regain perspective it will become a downward spiral feeding on itself. Unless it is confronted and dealt with it will descend into depression.

Should you recognize this panic and loss of perspective and you realize you are discouraged but can’t shake it by yourself, call a friend or your pastor. Like Aseph in this Psalm, the best way out of panic is to get perspective back. See how he gets a hold on his distorted view of reality and focuses on God – "Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?"

Big problems are put back into perspective when you regain your focus on a BIGGER GOD! His power and His presence will help you get back your perspective. Once you have your perspective back your panic will ceases and you hope will begin to return.

I have had this happen to me. I know about panic – even panic attacks. Losing perspective and plunging into discouragement in no fun. Thankfully, each time I have been able to regain my perspective, remember the goodness of my God and reconnect with Him!

Maybe you have to. Maybe you have lost your perspective and are overcome with panic. Perhaps you are there now. If so, this message is for you. Let me remind you to stop focusing on your big problems and start remembering you have a bigger God!

January 16, 2012

I want to examins several causes and the cures of discouragement that are mentioned or implied here in Psalm 77. I don't think you have to read this Psalm very far to conclude this guy is discouraged and maybe even depressed. Discouragement certainly can lead to depression if it is not effectively dealt with.

Beginning with this post I will share six things that can lead to discouragement and six things that lead you out of it. To help you grasp these concepts I have put them into short and rhythmic statements.

Here is the first one and it is based on verses 1-7 - “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?" Psalm 77:1-7

CONCEPT # 1 - DEVOTION NOT EMOTION

Emotions are God-given and God ordained. He wired you emotionally so you are able to develop relationships with Him and with other people. Since He wants you to love Him He had to make you able to do that and emotions are how that happens.

But, for all that is good about emotions, they tend to be fragile and fickle easily affected by circumstances or surroundings. So, if you allow your emotions to lead your commitment to Christ, you will be subject to changes when your circumstances suddenly change. It follows then if you are led by emotions you will be more susceptible to discouragement.

 

That could well be what happened in this Psalm.

 

To avoid discouragement or to help you get beyond being discouraged, base your relationship to Christ on facts not on feelings - or, devotion over emotion. I am not saying that feelings are not important or powerful, I am just saying they are not a reliable foundation for faith.

 

In fact, you will find that when you build your faith upon your devotion to God and stand on the facts of God's Word, you will experience better emotions because feelings always follow faith! Make your decision to follow Christ regardless of how you feel and then be true to that decision no matter what your emotional state. That is what I mean by devotion over emotion.

 

Believe in this concept and live by it and I am sure you will be less prone to discouragement.

 

 

 

 

 

January 15, 2012

"I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint." Psalm 77:1-3

Psalm 77 is timely and insightful because it shows how to battle discouragement. Christians are not immune from discouragement and may, in fact, be prone to discouragement for several reasons:

1) We tend to care more than other people

2) We tend to care more about other people

3) We have intimate knowledge of a God Who has the power to "fix things" but sometimes doesn't

4) We are under constant attack from the Enemy who continually attempts to discourage us

5) Faith is a journey that doesn't have clear mile markers and progress can be hard to measure

6) There is a constant dynamic tension between the work of grace God has accomplished in our lives and the awareness of how much more growth needs to happen - this "holy dissatisfaction" is necessary but hard to manage.

7) We are called to accomplish a task that is never completed and often overwhelming

8) We hold ourselves and our leaders to a high standard and therefore, are often disappointed

I could go on, but I think you get the picture!

Psalm 77 is a Psalm of Aseph. Who was Aspeh?

Aseph was one of the three musicians who worked for and with King David. He and his cohorts were responsible for developing inspiring worship to maintain the spiritual climate of God's nation and His people.

Sort of a big job, eh?

If Christians are prone to discouragement (and they are) how much more so for the "point people" who serve on the front lines of ministry?

Discouragement not properly handled will lead to despression. Over the seens I have seen many good and effective ministry people knocked out of the game by perpetual discouragement that morphed into depression.

Before I depress you with these thoughts, let me get to the good news! Aseph discovered how to work through discouragement before it became depression.

Read and meditate on Psalm 77 and see if you can find out how he did it. See what the Spirit says to you.

Be encouraged today!

January 14, 2012

“but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3

TO BE BLESSED MAKE SURE YOU SPEND TIME IN GOD’S WORD

(1) Love the Word, V. 2

The word “delight” means to take great pleasure in. It has the idea of a consuming passion that controls your life. Everyone “delights” in something. Some people delight in food. Others delight in a job or a hobby or a career. Some delight in a particular friendship. Many people delight in money or the things money can buy. And many delight in evil pleasures and wrong desires. Mark this well. Your “delight” determines your direction. What do you delight in? What gets your motor running? What gets you excited in the morning and keeps you awake at night? What do you daydream about?

Tell me the answers to those questions and I’ll tell you something crucial about who you are. To delight is to be so excited about something that you just can’t wait. Watch a young couple in love and you’ll know what “delight” means. Or take a young man Who has fallen in love for the first time. Ask his friends and they’ll say, “He’s not the same guy he used to be. They mean he has radically changed. He doesn’t want to hang around with them anymore. All he does is talk about “that girl.” Just look at him. He’s got this goofy grin on his face. He’s in love. Now apply that principle to the Word of God. We are to delight in God’s Word as a lover delights in a letter from his beloved.

I guess the question to ask is – “Do you love God’s Word like that?”

And, it not, “Why not?” “What needs to happen? What needs to change?” “How would your life be different if you did?”

(2) Live the Word, V. 2

Rick Warren, in The Purpose Driven Life, describes meditation this way: "Meditation is focused thinking. It takes serious effort. You select a verse and reflect on it over and over in your mind...if you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate". Warren goes on to say, "No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture…If you look up all the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you will amazed at the benefits He has promised to those who take the time to reflect on His Word throughout the day"

The Hebrew word used for "meditate" can be literally interpreted “Chew your cud” Meditate means “a strong desire to understand God’s will in order to do it!
God sets a high standard for us but that is because the stakes are high! Also, the satisfaction level is high for those who do – THEY GET THE BLESSINGS:

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water” – STABILITY

“which yields its fruit in its season” – PRODUCTIVITY

“and whose leaf does not wither” – LONGEVITY

“whatever they do prospers.” – PROSPERITY

Being blessed doesn't happen by accident. There are reasons why some people see God's blessing rain upon their lives and why others don't. I have touched on several of those reasons today and in some previous posts. Why would you want to miss out on the blessings of God when you can enjoy His goodness and His favor AND be a blessing to others?

Delight in His Word!

Meditate on His Word!

January 13, 2012

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers" Psalm 1:1

If you want to be blessed by God you must find a place in God's will. This verse gives some insights on how to do that.

First, be careful who you believe - "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked ...."

It is hard to get good advice from bad people. You are not likely to get godly advice from and ungodly person. How can you get trustworthy counsel from a person you can't trust?

Before you believe something ask yourself, "What does the Bible say?"

Be careful who you listen to. Ask yourself, "What is their life like?"

What are you filling your mind with? Always ask, "Can God honor this?"

Second, be careful how you behave - "....or stand in the way that sinners take...."

The old saying is, "Birds of a feather flock together." You will be judged by the company you keep.

If you are committed to doing the right thing you will not want to spend time with the wrong people.

Are the people you spend the most time with lifting you up or are they pulling you down? Do they draw you closer to God or do they pull you away?

Sow a thought and you reap and act;

Sow an act, and you reap a habit;

Sow a habit, and you reap a character;

Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

If the friends you spend the most time with can impact your destiny, what sort of friends should you choose? Are they exhibiting the sort of behavior God can bless? Are they helping or hindering your behavior?

Third, be careful whom you have for buddies - "or sit in the company of mockers"

If you want God's blessing, why would you develop close friendships with people who God is not able to bless? Wouldn't you be better off finding friends who share your faith and your values?

The easiest thing in the world is to be negative, and cynical, and sarcastic. It doesn't take a spiritual giant to recognize problems, but it does take a person of faith and conviction to come with ideas to solve them. If you want to have a positive attitude and a positive perspective on life, why would you spend your time around cynical and negative people?

If you want to be blessed and delivered from the struggles with sin in your life, some things need to be done to help you live in God's will, and learn in God's Word, and love in God's way.

Get wise godly counsel so you will believe right. Get grounded in God's Word so you will behave right. Get godly friends who can encourage and edify you in your faith.

Who are you listening to?

What are you learning from?

Who are you hanging around with?