GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
10 October 2004

Focus: Because God is faithful, we can stand on His promises.
Function: To help people struggling through hard times in their life see that God's faithfulness leads to hope

I. Introduction/Struggling Through Hard Times
-- turn in Bibles to Psalm 77
-- the other day, I was watching the Lord of the Rings again -- one of the best movies ever made -- it epitomizes the struggle between good and evil -- in this story, the main characters -- the heroes -- are involved in this great struggle against the evil Lord Sauron -- things are really looking bad -- and the only way they are going to be able to survive is by destroying the ring that gives Sauron control over the whole world
-- in the part of the movie that I was watching, the two main heroes -- Frodo and Sam -- were on the edge of Lord Sauron's country of Mordor -- they were having to carry the ring into the heart of evil in order to destroy it -- it was a hopeless situation -- and they were alone, with no one to help -- it would be like us standing on the edge of Hell and having to sneak in and drop something off right next to Satan's throne -- there was no chance of success and all seemed impossible
-- as I was watching that part of the movie play out, I could really relate with the two characters -- there have been times in my life where I have felt like I was in hopeless situations -- there have been times in my life -- and I'm sure in yours -- where we have stood on what felt like the border of Hell -- without hope -- without courage -- without strength -- feeling lost and alone
-- maybe it was during the loss of a loved one -- maybe it was during a financial crisis -- maybe it was during a sickness or death or divorce or just a heartbreak -- whatever the situation was, it felt like we were standing in a pit with no way out and no one available to lift us out -- totally without hope
-- there was a time in my life when I suffered from clinical depression -- I had gone to the University of Florida for a couple of semesters -- and I had struggled mightily -- I was in a major I didn't want to be in -- I had no friends -- I was trying to balance a full-time college load with a full-time job -- and finally, I just had to punt -- I had to call it quits and come home and start over again
-- but when I got home, I went into a serious depression -- I felt like a failure -- I had never failed at anything in my life -- I had never quit anything in my life -- I felt like I would never make anything of my life -- I felt like I had let down my family and my friends -- I felt like I was worthless -- I remember walking through the day like a zombie -- feeling hopeless -- just walking around in a brown cloud of doom and despair -- it was a dark time in my life -- and I honestly felt like I was in hell -- maybe you know what I'm talking about -- I'm sure that you have experienced times in your life just like this
-- we call these the storms of life and when we're in the middle of one we look at the storm -- we look at the driving rain and the whipping wind and the ferocious waves, and we think to ourselves, "There is nothing I can do -- my end is near" -- we've all had these storms in our lives -- maybe you're going through one right now
-- so, what do we do when we're going through a storm in our life? -- who do we turn to? -- what do we do when it seems as if God Himself has abandoned us and we have no one else to turn to?

-- this morning I want to look at Psalm 77, because the Psalmist here is going through a very similar situation -- and I want us to look at how he handled the situation in his life because it will help us see how we should face our own storms in our lives

-- look with me now at verse 1
1. I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.

-- in this opening verse we see the state of the Psalmist -- he is in the middle of a bad situation -- all looks hopeless to him -- so he does the only thing he can think of -- he calls out to God -- he called out with all of his heart and his soul for God to hear him and help him -- but nothing happens

-- that seems to be the case a lot, doesn't it -- when we're in the middle of a storm it just seems like God is distant -- we cry out and it seems like no one is answering -- we pray for help and it seems like our prayers never go past the ceiling -- it seems like we are alone
-- think about Job for a moment -- as you know, when Job was afflicted by Satan he called out to God for answers, but the heavens were silent -- what do we do when the heavens are silent? -- when God appears to not care?

-- look at verse 2

2. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. 3. I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. Selah 4. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.

-- how many times have you been in the place where this Psalmist is right now -- how many times have you been sleepless in the middle of the night because of your troubles -- how many times have you lain awake at night and cried out to God, not believing that He would hear or do anything -- that's exactly what is going on with the Psalmist in this passage
-- I like the way Eugene Patterson parapharased this in the Message -- he said "I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord -- my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal -- when friends said, "Everything will turn out all right" -- I didn't believe a word they said -- I remember God -- and shake my head -- I bow my head -- then wring my hands -- I'm awake all night -- not a wink of sleep -- I can't even say what's bothering me"
-- problems seem worse at night, don't they

-- verse 5
5. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6. I remembered my songs in the night.

-- the Psalmist says that in the midst of the storm he looked back and thought about the good times -- why couldn't things be like they used to be? -- life used to be happy -- now look what is going on -- nothing will ever be right again

-- verse 6b
My heart mused and my spirit inquired: 7. "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8. Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9. Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" Selah

-- it's reached the point where the Psalmist begins to doubt about whether God even cares any more or not -- he's reached what we call the crisis of belief
-- this is what the disciples faced when they were in the boat with Jesus in the middle of the storm

-- this is what the nation of Israel faced when they had their backs to the Red Sea with an army of Egyptians coming against them
-- and this is what Paul faced when he faced the Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road
-- it is at this point that we have to make a decision -- what do we believe about our God? -- what do we believe about His power in a situation? -- in every storm you walk through, you will face such a crisis of belief, and how you respond will tell you a lot about your faith

III. Facing the Storm with God
-- several years ago, I had to fly out of the Valdosta Airport on a rainy stormy day -- it was horrible -- the winds were blowing -- the rain was coming down -- I was already a little concerned about the flight -- I trusted God, but at the same time I knew that his word said, "Lo, I am with you" -- I wasn't sure if that included being high in an airplane or not
-- but I got on that plane and we took off -- you couldn't even see out the windows for the water streaming down on the glass -- the plane was being rocked back and forth by the wind -- without a doubt this was the worst flight I have ever been on
-- but the pilot kept on guiding the plane upwards -- we started going through the clouds -- and then all of a sudden we broke out through the clouds into bright sunlight and blue skies -- I looked down and I could see the storm below me -- but where I was it was calm and beautiful and safe
-- you see, the pilot knew where safety and security existed and he trusted that if he just endured through the storm for a little while, that we would enter into a safe place
-- well, that's exactly what should be going on in our lives when we are in the midst of a storm -- we need to trust in God -- we need to trust in His person -- and His power -- and His purpose -- God is faithful and can be trusted in all things
-- in the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah is in the midst of complete and utter desolation -- his nation is under siege and the people are being carried off in captivity -- but in the midst of this storm, he has this to say in Lamentations 3:18-22

18. So I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD." 19. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22. Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

-- when Jeremiah was in the middle of his storm -- when he was faced with his crisis of belief -- he remembered that on the other side of the clouds was sunshine -- on the other side of the storm was God

-- look back at verse 10 in Psalm 77
10. Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 11. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. 13. Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? 14. You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah 16. The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. 17. The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. 18. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. 19. Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. 20. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

-- the Psalmist closes his Psalm by recalling past instances of God's faithfulness in his life and in the life of his people
-- God is faithful -- we can trust in Him -- in His person -- in His power -- in His promises -- and in His presence
-- if you look back in your life like the Psalmist did, then you will see times where God has worked in your life and brought you safely through other storms -- while we may not see God directly, we can see the fingerprints of God in our lives and in the lives of those around us -- that is why we have a time of praise in the morning -- so we can see evidence of how God is working in us and in our family and friends
-- these are spiritual markers -- Ebenezers -- foundations that we can lean on during the hard times -- if God was there in the past, we can trust that He will be there in the present and in the future -- even if we are in the middle of a storm right now, we can trust God is with us because He has been in the past -- God always keeps His word -- He is faithful and just and has said that He will never leave us or forsake us

-- what do we do when we face the storms in our life? -- we need to reflect on God's faithfulness and stand on the promises that He has given us in His word
-- reflecting on God's faithfulness should lead to hope in our lives -- believing in God's faithfulness helps us to trust Him in the midst of anything we are going through -- it gives us endurance -- strength -- God's faithfulness is a rock that we can lean upon
-- in times of desolation -- in the middle of the storm -- we cannot depend on feelings -- we may feel like God has left us (as in the Psalm) -- we may feel like God does not hear our prayers (as in the Psalm)
-- but if we depend on God -- if we believe in His unchanging character and His faithfulness to us -- then we can trust that His presence is with us and His purposes will be worked out through what we are going through
-- we need to navigate by revealed truth rather than feelings, especially in times of crisis
-- God's faithfulness is a like a compass that we can trust to steer us through the storms and into the sunlight

-- the faithfulness of God to the believer is expressed in many ways in the Bible
-- The faithfulness of God to forgive sin -- 1 John 1:9 -- "if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"
-- the faithfulness of God in times of pressure -- 1 Cor 10:13 -- "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
-- The faithfulness of God in providing for us in His Son Jesus Christ -- 1 Cor 1:9 -- God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
-- The Faithfulness of God in keeping His promises to us -- Heb 10:23 -- Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
-- The faithfulness of God to us in times of suffering -- 1 Peter 4:19 -- So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
-- the Faithfulness of God in providing for the believer's eternal future -- 1 Thess 5:24 -- The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

-- maybe you are in the midst of a storm right now -- maybe you are being buffetted by the winds and the rain and you don't see any hope at all -- maybe you feel like you are all alone and that no one cares
-- regardless of your feelings, you need to stand firm in the knowledge that God is there with you -- He has promised to never leave you or forsake you, and He is there in the midst of the storm
-- He has been with you in the past and He is with you now and will be with you in the future -- If you are in the midst of a storm -- if you feel like you are in a pit with no way out -- look back at the times God has worked in your life and in the lives of those you know and in the lives of those in the Bible, and stand on the Promises that He has given you to be with you and trust that He will calm the storm and lead you safely through to the other side
-- let us pray