"And David was
greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of
all the people was greived, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but
David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."
INTRODUCTION
1. What's the first
thing you do in time of trouble?
a. Everybody has problems from time to time,
but not everyone tries
to solve their problems in the same way
b. What IS the best way?
2. One person in the
Bible who had more than his share of trouble was
King David...
a. For example:
1) He was pursued by King Saul
2) He barely escaped several
assassination attempts
3) He had to spend much time hiding in
the wilderness
4) His entire family was kidnapped on one
occasion
5) His friends turned against him and
were ready to kill him
6) He suffered the shame of having
committed adultery and murder
7) His son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar
8) His other son Absalom murdered Amnon
9) Absalom led a revolt against his
father
10)
Absalom himself was killed, much to David's grief
b. Need I go on? David was certainly a man with many problems!
3. Yet somehow, he
survived them all and has come to be remembered as
"a man after God's own
heart." How was he able to do this?
I. WHAT DAVID DID IN
TIMES OF TROUBLE
A. THE CONTEXT OF 1 SAMUEL 30:1-6...
1. At this time in his life, David was
living in Ziklag
a. Having fled from King Saul
b. And was now aligned with the
Philistines
2. The Philistines were preparing to
battle King Saul, and David
and his men had gone to join with the
Philistines
3. But the Philistines did not fully
trust David, so they sent
him and his men back to Ziklag
B. READING 1 SAMUEL 30:1-6, WE FIND...
1. That the town of Ziklag had been
attacked and burned by the
Amalekites - 1
2. The women and children had been
kidnapped, including those of
his family - 2-5
3. Naturally David is distressed; but on
top of this, the people
are ready to kill him for not having
been there when he was
needed - 6
C. BUT NOTICE CAREFULLY THE LAST PART OF
VERSE SIX...
1. What does David do when he has lost
his family, and his own
life is threatened?
2. The Scriptures say, "But David
strengthened himself in the
Lord his God."
3. This is what David did first in times
of trouble...
a. He strengthened himself in the Lord
his God!
b. With the strength he received, he
was then able to deal
with whatever the problem was
before him!
[But what does it mean
to "strengthen himself in the Lord his God"? In
an effort to answer this
question, I found it helpful to consider some
of the Psalms written by
David during troublesome times...]
II. HOW DAVID
STRENGTHENED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD
A. IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, DAVID OFTEN
COMPOSED PSALMS...
1. While pursued by Saul, he wrote Psalm
59 - cf.
"Deliver me from
mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me
from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in
wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression,
nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake
to help me, and behold."
2. When imprisoned in Gath, he wrote Psalm
56 - cf.
"Be merciful unto
me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine
enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O
thou most High."
3. Fleeing from Absalom, he wrote Psalm
3 - cf.
"Lord, how are they
increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be
which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah."
4. Hiding in the wilderness of Judah, he
wrote Psalm 63**
B. FROM THESE PSALMS, WE CAN GLEAN HOW
"DAVID STRENGTHENED HIMSELF
IN THE LORD HIS GOD"...
1. From Psalm 56, we learn that
David would place his trust in
God to help him - Psalms 56**
2. From Psalm 59, we learn that
David was determined to continue
praising God for His help -Psalms 59**
3. From Psalm 63**, we see that
David overcame his problem of
loneliness by...
"Truly my soul
waiteth upon the God: from him cometh my salvation.He only is my rock and my
salvation; he is my defence; i shall not be greatly moved."
"How long will ye
imagine mishchief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall
shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from
his excellency: they delight in lies:they bless with their mouth, but they
curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is
from him."
"He only is my rock
and my salvation: he is my defence; i shall not be moved. In God is my
salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in
God."
4. In each of these psalms, David is
basically saying the same
thing...
a. In time of trouble, put your trust
in the Lord
b. Stay close to Him, through praising
Him and praying to Him
c. Do this, and you will be made
strong as the Lord supports
you! - cf. Psalms 63:8
"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God
is a refuge for us. Selah."
[This was how "David
strengthened himself in the Lord his God", and was
able to face and
overcome his problems with the help the Lord gave him.
How about us today? In times of trouble, do we follow David's
example?
Consider a few thoughts
along this line...]
III. DEALING WITH OUR
PROBLEMS TODAY
A. WE FACE MANY PROBLEMS, EVEN AS
CHRISTIANS...
1. Some are related to family, or other
matters of personal
concern
2. Some are related to jobs, and the
issue of financial security
B. IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE TRY TO TACKLE
THEIR PROBLEMS ALONE...
1. They leave God completely out of the
picture
2. Sometimes they even forsake Him
entirely...
a. By no longer praising Him and
praying to Him daily
b. By neglecting the assembly in which
we gather to edify one
another and worship God
3. The reasoning is often expressed this
way: "Let me get my
life straight, then I will be able to
serve God and live for
Him."
C. BUT GOD IS ANGERED IF WE SEEK TO SOLVE
OUR PROBLEMS WITHOUT HIM!
1. God considers such a person as cursed!
- cf.
"Thus saith the
Lord; cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and
whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the
desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched
places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man
that trusteh in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree
planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall
not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful
in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yeilding fruit."
2. A good example of God's displeasure
when His people fail to
look to Him for strength is found in
Isaiah...
a. When attacked by Assyria, Israel
placed her trust in Egypt
"Woe to the
rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that
cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That
walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen
themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of
Egypt."
b. Because of this, God promised to
frustrate the efforts of
Israel to solve her problems by
herself! -
"Therefore shall
the strength of Pharoah be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt
your confusion."
c. Yes, God wanted Israel to trust in
Him, not themselves
"For thus saith the
Lord God, the Holy one of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in
quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye
said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will
ride upon the swift; therefore shall they pursue you be swift."
3. Even so today, God wants us to put our
trust in Him - cf.
(James 4:8)
"Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your
hearts, ye double minded."
"Humble yourselves
therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
casting all your care upon him:for he careth for you."
a. The truth of the matter is this...
1) It is NOT "God helps those
who help themselves"
2) But rather "God helps
those who trust in the Lord with
all their heart, and lean not on
their own
understanding"! - cf.
"Trust in the Lord
with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy
ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
b. When we leave God out of the
picture in solving problems...
1) One thing is certain: God leaves us to deal with those
problems on our own, and without
His help!
2) Another thing is possible: In an act of loving
discipline, God might frustrate
our efforts to solve our
problems independent of His help
(He certainly
disciplined Israel that way!)
CONCLUSION
1. So let us learn from
one experienced in dealing with problems
(David)...
a. In times of trouble, look to the Lord for
your strength!
b. Trust in the Lord, and be steadfast in
praising Him and praying
to Him
c. Don't forsake Him, nor forsake the
assembly of the saints in
which we draw near to Him
2. Let what David said
of himself be true of us as well:
"My soul followeth hard after thee: thy
right hand upholdeth me."
3. Remember that those
who trust in God will find strength,
deliverance, and true happiness!
Do you trust in the
Lord? Or in your own strength? Let the Lord be
your deliverance!
Especially when it
pertains to the problem of the guilt of sin...
By Missionary Dinah Ramos
