OUT OF OUR CONTROL (PSALM 46:1-11)

 

Picture taken from Google

 

BIBLE PASSAGE: PSALM 46:1-11

INTRODUCTION:

I remember when I became involved in a business that was not planned in accordance to the business world. We thought that was easy but we ‘re out of control. I came to the point of my life where I slept crying all night because I don’t know what to do. I’d prayed but nothing changes. I didn’t want to go outside anymore and answer my phone because I was scared to be caught by our debtors. I suffered for years. Then one night I prayed crying and surrendered all to the Lord. When I woke up the next morning, God whispered to me to face the problems and all the debtors. Ideas came to my mind to talk all of them one by one and came up for a solution. That was not easy: I need to accept their accusations, their sentiments and angriness toward our small company and to my coworkers.  That was easy but this time I feel God’s hand was on me. I asked my siblings to help me to face these problems.

 

What situations of life wherein you see that you can do nothing about it and you’re out of control?

 

 

LESSON POINTS:

1.  1) REMEMBER GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE (PSALM 46:1-7)

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; ³ Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. ⁴ There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. ⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. ⁶ The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted ⁷ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

 

Because God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, we should not be afraid. We should not be afraid even though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters roared and be troubled and though the mountains shake with swelling. The reasons of being afraid are already mentioned here and there’s no reason for us to be afraid because the descriptions are the worst things would happen in our lives.

 

So, whatever situations we are in at this moment, don’t be afraid. Surrender them all to God because He is our refuge and strength and a very present help in trouble.

 

2.   2) REMEMBER GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING (PSALM 46:8-9)

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. ⁹ He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Whether we accept it or not, God is in control of everything. We have no contribution to the creation of the world and its balance. He can twist everything in accordance to His will. So, we have nothing to boast therefore it’s better for us to trust God because we can do nothing without Him.

ASK: What life’s situations which are hard for us to let go?

 

3.   3) BE STILL (PSALM 46:10-11)

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. ¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Like what happened to me, it took me years before I realized that I was out of God’s will. I knew at first, we were in the right path and there was no doubt in my mind. Because of this, God allowed me to face those stressful moments of life. Until I surrendered to Him and He humbled me. Sometimes we need to pause and meditate that God is God, the Creator of all things. He knows everything. He is worth to be trusted.

 

CONCLUSION:

Every time I recall this and what things had happened; I could not help but still cry because of the hardships. I had so many wrong choices in life but God led me still in the right path. Thank God I don’t owe anyone. I paid a million debt through God’s help. Truly, miracles happen. God is our refure and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 

 

 

WHY HAS THIS ALL HAPPENED TO US? (JUDGES 6:1-16)

 

WHY HAS THIS ALL HAPPENED TO US?

Picture taken from Goggle

BIBLE PASSAGE: JUDGES 6: 1-16

 

INTRODUCTION:

Have you been asked this question? This question is normally hear from people who suffers problems in life. The question that we don’t have answers at the moment the problem is there. Because of this, we have so many thoughts in minds to answer our question.

 This lesson focuses on the story of Gideon and Israel’s oppression by the Midianites. Imagine the Israelites were in the hand of the enemy for seven years. The Midianites destroyed everything they had; their fruits of the land, and animals were included.  So, when the angel of the Lord said to Gideon, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor” he immediately responded “Why then is all this befallen us? (Judges 6:13kjv). His next question was “Where be all his miracles which our father told us? And his third question, “Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? He assumed that God had already forsaken them. Gideon’s feeling is the same with us. I always hear from people, when I share the gospel, that they are forsaken by God when they are in the midst of trials. Let’s answer the question in the life of Israelites in time of Gideon.

 

LESSON POINTS:

1.   IT’S PART OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE – In verse 1 of Judges chapter 6, we can see the answer why the Israelites suffered from the hand of Midian.

 

“And the children of the Lord did evil in the sight of the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.”

 

The Israelites had done evil in the eyes of the Lord and were subsequently oppressed by the Midianites for seven years. God sends then a prophet to remind them of their past disobedience. Israel’s disobedience led them to oppression.

 

 

2.   IT’S ONE WAY OF GOD TO GET OUR ATTENTION- The Midianites would raid Israelite settlements, particularly during harvest time, stealing their crops and livestock, leaving them impoverished. Facing starvation and hardship, the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance. They took them seven years before they cried to the Lord for help (Judges 6:7). God sends then a prophet to remind them for their deliverance from Egypt. Their past deliverance from Egypt showed that God can still do that to them. Their oppression is a way for God to get their attention and repent from their sins and disobedience.

 

 

3.   IT’S FOR THEM TO FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN- I remember my personal experiences. I had come to a point where I was in great distress because of money problem. The business I was involved in was in great debt and my friends left us with the debt. Only three of us left from the group and we shouldered all the debts the business had. Then I started to ask why all those bad things happened. I realized, the plan was not God’s will. God gave me courage to face all the debtors and God led me in a right path after realizing that was not His will and surrendered everything to Him.

 

Israelites was cried out to the Lord and God responded by sending a prophet to rebuke them and then by calling Gideon to deliver them from the Midianites. All God wanted for them is to follow His plan.