“Strength For A Heavy Heart”
CD No.______Also D-21
Time: 3/ 14/ 2010 - 11 am
Text: Psalms 27: 13, 14 - www.coolspringsbaptist.org
------Introduction: Verse 14- Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart-
Having a heavy heart or a disturbed heart or a troubled heart is a serious problem. Jesus told His disciples in John 14: 1 – Let not your heart be troubled.” Jesus knew his disciples had a troubled heart. He knows when we have a heavy or troubled heart. His desire is the same for us, “let not your heart be troubled.”
I. The Problem of a Heavy Heart
V. 14 – 2nd phrase-and he shall strengthen thy heart-
In V.12 – we see what troubled David. – Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies-
David had a troubled heart because of His enemies. Saul had been his worst enemy.
It is hard to believe, but sometimes you will have enemies because of living a committed Christian life. It bothers some people and they will try to make it hard for you. Jesus’ disciples had enemies. Jesus himself had enemies when He lived on the face of this earth.
David had a particular problem of an enemy, but there are other problems in this world that can cause a heavy heart.
A. Family Problems
Satan likes to get in homes.
1. Husband & Wife
Troubled hearts can come from friction between husbands and wives.
They can say things to one another that can tear one another’s heart out and not really mean it. One word leads to another and if one is not careful, it can lead to a divorce.
2. Children
Disobedient children can tear the heart out of concerned and loving parents.
In 2 Timothy 3:2 God talks about disobedient children in the last days. Etc.
B. Church Problems
Church problems can cause anxiety for a person who loves their church. It seems that Satan is getting into more churches every day! Etc. on neighbor’s church.
C. Health Problems
When my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it was devastating. As things progressed it tore my heart out. Etc.
When my youngest daughter was around 6 years old, she started to have seizures and they got worse and worse to the point that we thought that we were going to lose her, it tore my heart out. Etc.
When people watch their loved ones dwindle away with cancer, it tears their hearts out. Etc.
When you watch someone suffer and experience pain and you are helpless in helping them, it will tear your heart out.
D. Job Problems
It is a frustrating thing to work in a place with un-pleasant surroundings. Pressured jobs usually lead to a person carrying the job home with them; this can lead to a troubled heart.
Not finding a job in the day that we live can lead to a troubled heart.
There are a lot of moms and dads today that have a troubled heart because they can’t find a job, and they are worried about losing their home and vehicles they drive, or not being able to put food on the table.
E. Deaths
To lose a loved one is like having the world cave in on you. It can tear your heart out! Etc.
In essence there are a lot of things that happen in this world that can tear your heart out!
The Problem of Having a Troubled Heart
II. The Product of a Heavy Heart
I want to mention two words that reveal what a heavy heart
produces.
A. Strength less
V.14 –Wait on the Lord: be of good courage-
After a period of time, if we are not careful our courage will fail.
Synonyms for courage: bravery, guts, nerves, and daring.
We could translate V.14 this way: Wait on the Lord be of good courage, be brave, have guts, be daring, don’t let this problem sap you of your strength.
Robert Louis Stevenson said: Keep your fears for yourself, but share your courage with others.
Courage is being able to face or confront our problems and keep on going.
When our courage goes we will lose our physical strength, but what is worse is losing our spiritual strength. All of our zeal, determination and go power will be gone.
If Satan can rob us of our courage to go on, he has got us on a downhill path; we are headed for trouble. This is the result of having a troubled heart.
Strength less
B. Stopping
V.13 – I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord.
Amplified: I would have fainted, unless I believed to see the goodness of the Lord.
David was on the verge of fainting. David was about to stop.
A lot of people with troubled hearts get to the place where they just stop and throw up their hands and say, what’s the use, I just can’t go on, so they just quit and give up.
The Problem of Having a Heavy Heart
The Product of Having a Heavy Heart
III. The Principles for a Heavy Heart
· There is no way to keep from having problems that will break our hearts, but we can learn the principles to receive strength while facing problems.
· Two words reveal the principles; let us notice them.
A. There Is The Principle Of Patience
V.14 –Wait on the Lord: be of good courage: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the Lord.
The Lord mentions the word WAIT twice in this one verse, therefore this principle of patience is very important.
Some good saying about patience:
True patience
Means
Waiting without Worrying
------
Patience is accepting a difficult situation
without giving God a deadline to remove it-
Here, the meaning is to wait on the Lord in the sense of letting the Lord work the problems out His way.
Romans 8:28 –And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
To wait on the Lord requires trust.
John 14: 1 – Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
The Lord uses the words believe or trust twice in this verse.
Waiting on the Lord and having patience requires trusting Him.
B. There Is The Principle Of Perception – having proper discernment
V.13 –I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
If we are not careful when problems come, we will dwell on the one or two bad problems instead of looking at all the BLESSING that God bestows upon us.
When David was about to faint, he looked at the goodness of the Lord; so should we. Etc.
The Problem of a Heavy Heart
The Produce of a Heavy Heart
IV. The Promise for a Heavy Heart
V.14 –Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart-
God makes a promise to those who have patience and perception; having proper discernment, seeing the goodness of the Lord.
God has made this promise to us who applies these principles to our lives. We can depend on God’s promise because He does not lie.
Poem: “Wits End Corner”
Psalms 107: 27, 28 –At their wits end, they cry unto the Lord, in their trouble, and he bringeth them out.
Are you standing at wits end corner?
Christian, with troubled brow-
Are you thinking of what is before you-?
Does the entire world seem against you?
And you in the battle alone-
Remember- at wits end corner
Is just where God’s power is shown
Are you standing at “wits end corner”
Your work before you spread,
All lying begun, unfinished,
And pressing on heart and head,
Longing for strength to do it,
Stretching out trembled hands,
Remember- at wits end corner.
The burden- bearer stands-
Are you standing at “wits end corner”?
Then you are just in the very spot.
To learn the wondrous resources
Of Him who faileth not,
No doubt a brighter pathway-
Your footsteps will soon moved-
But only at “Wits End Corner”
Is the “God Who Is Able” Proved-“
Conclusion: “Strength for a Heavy Heart”
We have noticed:
I. The Problem of a Heavy Heart….V.14 –and He shall strengthen thy heart
II. The Product of a Heavy Heart
A. Strength less…….Be of good courage
B. Stopping………….I had fainted
III. The Principles for a Heavy Heart
A. Patience………………V.14- Wait on the Lord………wait, I say, on the Lord-
B. Perception…………..having proper discernment……seeing the goodness of the Lord
IV. The Promise for a Heavy Heart
V.14 – Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart-
Reminder: Jn. 14: 1 –Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Apply these principles to your life and trust God to strengthen your heart.
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