November 06, 2024
Talking to God #
Psalm 77:1-3,
Introduction
There is an old song that says, Just a little talk Jesus makes it right! God is a living person. We often turn to another person. God sets there ignored, and He is the one that can actually do something about our situation! He is the one that actually has the power to solve the problem!
Sweet hour of Prayer
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father's throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter's snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sometimes the answer is in us, and we just need to be patient and wait on the Lord! Sometimes we need to change where we are at, or what we are doing! Sometimes we need to step out by faith, and trust Him. How do we know the difference? We simply must trust, and follow Him.
I. The Complaint to God (Psalm 77:1-4) #
A. God listens to complaints! (1) #
1. Spoken prayer – “cried unto God with my voice” #
Psalm 5:2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Psalm 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
2. Heard Prayer - Jokingly “Write your complaint on a paper, and drop it in the box by the refrigerator (trash).” #
B. God listens in hard times (2) #
1. Availability – Sometimes you cannot get in touch with the person you want to talk to for advice, help, when there is a need. #
2. God is available for every emergency. #
C. Distress of man (3-4) #
1. “was troubled” – unsure, fearful, concerned #
2. “I complained” – God hears our complaint, with all tender mercy and compassion. #
3. “my spirit was overwhelmed.” – arrive at wits end #
4. Lacking sleep (4) – “holdest mine eyes waking” #
5. Lacking words (4)– “I cannot speak” #
II. The Contemplation within (Psalm 77:5-12) #
A. Remembering God’s past works (5) #
1. Miracles of Old (Israel, Red Sea) #
B. Remembering God’s Work in his own life (6) #
1. Considering times in the past that God worked #
2. Soul searching time of God’s involvement (6b) #
C. Rhetorical Questions - Reasoning (7-9) #
1. 7 - “Will the Lord cast off for ever?” NO! God has not disappeared #
2. 8 – “Is his mercy clean gone for ever?” NO!!! – God is merciful! #
3. 9 – “Hath God forgotten to be gracious?” NO!!! #
4. 9b – “Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?” NO! #
D. Reforming of thoughts (10-12) #
1. “My infirmity” – My problem. My sickness, my poor thoughts. #
2. “I will remember” – changing the doubtful thoughts to remember truths of God: #
3. “Meditate” & “talk” – from the mind to the mouth… focal point is God’s great works, not negativ #
III. The Consideration of God (13-20) #
A. Trust God’s Holiness (13) #
1. God is not accident prone #
2. God does not make mistakes #
B. Trust God’s Strength (14) #
1. God is able to work miracles #
2. God is not weak! #
Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,