Hope for Hard Times: Psalms 4

 Hopelessness is a terrible place to be. We have all been there. You are either in hard times, were in it or about to be in it. It could be sickness, finances, difficult relationship with a spouse or child, loss, hurt, rejection. I would encourage everyone to read a Psalm a day. They were not only written as songs to be sung but also as prayers from the heart. They still resonate today.

Psalms 4 shows us how to hold on to hope in hard times. Where would we be without hope? You can't do anything without hope. Feeling hopeless is a terrible place to be.

Proverbs 17:22 (ESV) "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

Proverbs 12:25 (ESV) "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad."

Psalms 3 & 4 Background: David was running from his son Absalom. Psalms 3 was a morning prayer and Psalms 4 an evening prayer

"Happy is it for us that David was tried. Or probably  we should never have heard these sweet sonnets of faith" CH Spurgeon

God can and does use your pain. Even for your good, but also even to bless others.

Psalms 4 (ESV) "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him. Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, 'Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!' You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."

I VS. 1 & 3 Lessons God PLEASE hear and answer me! Answer me when I call. Have you ever prayed a prayer like that? Have you ever felt like God was not hearing you? God where are you? Why is this happening to us... to me? Sometimes we do need to change something in our life.

Psalms 66: 18-20 "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!"

However, make no mistake God hears our prayers and He cares.  Psalms 4:3 (ESV) "But know that the LORD hears when I call to him."

1 Peter 3:12 (ESV) "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

Challenges

1. Talk to God about your problems

2. Get rid of the stuff hindering your prayer life.

3. Remember God's blessings and provision in the past. Even in the midst of hard times there is something to thank God for.

II VS 2 & 6 Lessons People will let you down. There are great people in the world, Pastors, politicians, family and heroes .... they are ALL imperfect people. Do not put them on a pedestal. It is good to seek counsel and advice from godly/wise, but understand they're not God.

Fight against bitterness and cynicism Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV) "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Be careful of the company you keep, the voices you listen to. Unforgiveness can lead to bitterness.

III VS 5, 7 & 8 Lessons Stay the course (offer the right sacrifices) continue to praise, give, continue to care, minister and pray.... for as long as you have breath. God has a way of blessing His people when they praise. 

Ephesians 5:2 (ESV) "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Hebrews 13:15-16 (ESV) "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

Revelation 8:3 (ESV) "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a gold censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne"

Trust in the Lord God's plan is perfect. No one understands, or knows or cares or loves like him.

He gives direction Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

He gives wisdom & understanding  Proverbs 9:10 (ESV) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."

He gives strength Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

He gives rest Matthew 11:28 (ESV) "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

He gives hope and joy and peace Romans 15:13 (ESV) "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication wth thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

He will make it all right and make it all worth it Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV) "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'"

Romans 8:18 (ESV) "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

When this life is over God will make it all right. 

1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the out come of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

The Strong & Blessed Father

 The biggest legacy that you can build is your family. We need good fathers in America. The biggest problems in America stem from bad homes...no fathers. Fathers are often portrayed negatively in media. We need people who don't care what the media says about fathers.

85% of the kids in juvenile detention centers come from fatherless homes. 

90% of homeless come from fatherless homes.

The fatherless are 4X more likely to grow up and live in poverty.

There is a link between abusive and absent fathers with sexual promiscuity in teenage girls and young women.

US Census Bureau 25% of kids growing up with no father in home (biological, step, adopted) 1960 91% both parents. The US is  #1 in the world of single parent homes and 3X the world average.

It is not enough to just be around. Loving fathers foster compassion in adults especially in young men.

Univ. of Penn. did a study that showed those who felt close/warmth with father were 75% less likely teen pregnancy, 80% less incarceration and 50% less depression.

Good dads stand in the way of Satan's plans and a nation's collapse.

I. A strong father fears the Lord

Psalms 128 (ESV) "Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed,  and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children's children! Peace be upon Israel!"

A strong father knows that God/Jesus has authority over him. The Centurion in Matt. 8 the Centurion recognized Jesus was greater than he was. Strong fathers must first submit to God.

Psalms 1: 1-4 (ESV) "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he mediates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away."

Olive trees are strong, resilient, reliable, they produce for hundreds of years, some people say that there are 1200 year old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Jesus tells the parable of the foolish and wise builder. The wise builder hears Jesus' words and does them vs the foolish builder doesn't. Storms will test the work of the builder. The foolish builder mocks and ridicules and will entice the wise builders, but their works will all be destroyed.

II A strong father is hard working

1Tim. 5:8 (ESV) "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." The context of this verse is caring for widows, but true for all of a strong father's household.

Col. 3:23-24 (ESV) "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Work is an act of worship and an example for your children. Laziness can get us all with a world of convenience. Be diligent in work, but also with your family. Don't let work beat down your family.

III A blessed father loves his wife as a reward

A good wife is a reward. Proverb describes the good & bad wife (Prov. 21 & 27) A nagging quarrelsome wife is not good.

Your wife should be a reward. You should pursue your wife forever.

Prov. 5:15-19 (ESV) "Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight: be intoxicated always in her love."

Men do you treasure your wife like that? Wives do you let your husband treasure you like that? Work together to meet each others needs. You are partners forever. The greatest gift that you can give your children is loving each other.

IV A  blessed father sees his children as a blessing

Psalms 127: 3-5 (ESV) "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

Children are our greatest resource. They are our heritage and our legacy. Children are also our greatest responsibility.

Olive shoots cannot survive on their own, they have to be connected to the main root. Children need to have a connection with their dad.

John 15:5 (ESV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Children need time and nurture and care from their father. Children with godly fathers usually bear good fruit.

Dads spend on average 1.02 hours per day with kids under 18 and 1.62 hours per day with kids under 6.  With teens dads spend on average 7.5 minuets a day! Dad look for ways to spend time with your kids and teens. Look for opportunities to love on, to teach, to encourage and to nurture your kids.

The way children view their father shapes the way they view their heavenly father.

V The mission of a strong and blessed father never ends

Even when your children are gown your work as a father is not finished. You need to contact them, care for them. Fathers need to continue to build a legacy.

When kids have kids they begin to realize you weren't so dumb.

Challenges

1.Kids show your dad some grace. We all fall short, we fail even dads

2. Kids let your dad be a hero every once in awhile.

3.Kids tell your dad that you love him.

4.Hug your dad.

5. Give your dad time.

6. Listen to your dad.

Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World and Your Home

 Children's Ministry matters! Sharing the gospel with kids matters! We have a huge opportunity this week during Day Camp to share the gospel with the kids of our community. 63% of Christians surveyed say that they accepted Christ between the ages of  4 and 14. 40-50% of youth that attend youth group walk away from the church as adults, but those that were actively involved in children's ministries don't fall into this statistic.

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

I. They are precious in his sight

Matt.18:1-5 (ESV) "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven, Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,'"

Matt. 18:10 (ESV) "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."

Jesus loves the little children. The are humble and pure in heart. Children instinctively know that God loves them and hears their prayers.

Matt. 10:16 (ESV) "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

Romans 16:19 (ESV) "For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil."

II. God has especially entrusted a few children to you 

1 Tim. 5:8 (ESV) "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

God loves children and has a special place in his heart for them. God entrusts them to us...they are so precious to him. He has given them to us to raise, to encourage, to train and to discipline.

III. Children are a gift

Psalms 127:3 (ESV) "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward."

Parenting and Grandparenting is the greatest children's ministry.

IV. Children learn from observation

Children become like their parents....gossips, busy bodies, complainers, gentle, kind, courageous.

John 13:14-15 (ESV) "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." 

Children will learn by watching you. Jesus was teaching the disciples that if you love me you then will serve one another. He taught by His actions as well as His words.

V. Someone will disciple your children

Don't let others have them and disciple them and train them. Children are the future. Lets not give them away to influencers ton Tik Tok, Youtube and all other social media. Disney would be happy to diciple your children. Do you want those types of people guiding your children?

VI We've got to guard them and teach them to keep their guard up

Ephesians 6:4 (ESV) "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

It is important to train their head and heart. Instruct and discipline them. There is a real enemy out there trying to devour them.

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

If Jesus loves the children then the devil will try to devour them.  Satan wants the children. Some day our children will have to make their own decisions. We must teach them now when they are young.

VII We have got to discipline them

Proverbs 13:24 (ESV) "Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him."

Proverbs 29:17 (ESV) "Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart."

If  you really love your children you will not be their best friend. You will not let them do whatever the want to do.

VIII. Children can make a huge difference

Proverbs 20:11 (ESV) "Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright."

Proverbs 15:20 (ESV) "A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother."

Kids can be a good example. No one can please their parents like a child can.

IX. Obeying your parents is demonstrating your love for God

Colossians 3:20 (ESV)  "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

No one can hurt a parent more than their child.

X Challenges

Pray for Day Camp (especially your own children)

Pray for the spiritual needs of your children.

Listen to your children

Have a date with your child. Psalms 39: 4-5 (ESV) "O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleet I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all  mankind stands as a mere breath!"

Time is fleeting don't waste it!

Praise your children

Implement family worship

For kids

Listen to your parents

Give your parents time and attention

Praise your parents