When You Are at Your Wits? End - Part 1

Christian visited a prison hospital to have a reasonably good which is morally good feelings of hope of takeoff. Ruth was in good news, as will Jeremiah turned to the sound for help in finding out situations that otherwise have you feeling helpless as the guys provoking message when you get your ritzy always been fascinated and there's a little booklet I have that has all of the famous sayings that came out of the Bible is one of graduates and did you know by the skin of your teeth. That's a Bible statement to so many of these phrases that we think are some some person in the past to coin the phrase are just there.

Kind of like helping us believe the Bible is true. It's there, it's been making an impression on people for a long time. And even though phrases that we don't attribute to the Bible, we find out that's where they originated today will talk about what to do when you're at your wits and in Psalm 107. It's almost like reading him out of the hymnbook several verses the same chorus.

The same principle that God is with us in our difficulty and you can be sure that he will hear your prayers matter where you may be what your situation may be, have your Bibles near you might want to find some hundred and seven Scott take us a couple of days to get through this. Let's open your Bibles to Psalm 107 let's find out what to do when we're at our wits end. May 1995 Randy Reed 34-year-old construction worker was welding on top of the nearly completed water tower outside of Chicago. According to one writer. Randy had unhooked his safety gear to reach for some pipes, a metal cage slipped and bumped the scaffolding on which Reed was standing the scaffolding tip read slipped and he felt 110 feet. He fell face down in a pile of dirt he barely missed the rocks in the construction debris and when the paramedics arrived, Reed was breathing when they hoisted him onto the backboard and began carrying him to the ambulance.

He actually spoke and what did the man who had fallen 110 feet and lived with enough energy still to speak. What did he say you not going to believe what he said. He said don't drop me.

The doctor said that Reed came away from the accident with only a bruised lung and his three words were probably an attempt at humor for a miracle with a fall but left them only with just a bad back ache, but what a picture of the human tendency a man who lives through a 110 foot plumber is worried about a possible 3 foot fall and the reason we laugh at it is because we all identify and we understand today Psalm of encouragement is a hymn of thanksgiving to Almighty God for his deliverance from the falls of life. If we can see his hand in the preservation of our lives through the 110 foot walls mentioned in this passage, then we have every reason to have renewed confidence to face the routine challenges of our everyday lives. Now some hundred and seven is a greatly loved portion of God's word. Some historians believe that it should be called the pilgrims Psalm because there are many things in the Psalm that parallel the kinds of problems that the pilgrims had when they came to this country. If you read the entire Psalm at one sitting. You will discover that there is a mental picture here of moving from one kind of problem to another, until finally you get where you're headed.

The main body of the Psalm is found in verses 4 to 32 and in this section of the Psalm there are four subsections if I could call them that that present for pictures of the kinds of things that happened to God's people on their way as pilgrims to the final destination in each of these pictures. There is one common thread in that is there. The kinds of things that happened to us that leave us feeling a sense of helplessness now.

One way to get the meeting out of the Psalm. If you'll indulge me for a moment, is to imagine that you are walking through an exclusive art gallery and in this gallery there are four very famous paintings and these paintings have been created to portray the various challenges that one faces in life. In this particular gallery. I shall be your tour guide and as I lead you through the gallery, I will pause briefly at the first three paintings were some important comments but my purpose is wrapped up in the symbolism of the fourth painting and that is where we will spend the majority of our time.

So let's begin our tour.

We've entered the gallery and we stop now at painting number one which is a picture of the desert and the words which describe the wanderer in the desert are found for us in verses four through nine. This paragraph describes the experience of being lost in the desert and reminds us of the kinds of things that happen to us in life that are like that.

It says in verses four and five. They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way. They found no city to dwell in hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

The desert travelers represent many today who are lost in the wilderness of existence and cannot find their way out. Some are lost in the desert of loneliness.

Others are lost in the circle of routine futility. Some are lost in the desert of affluence, which is yielding up far less than they had anticipated wandering around without hope and without help and there's no way to find their way home. As we move to the next protocol we visit painting number two and this is the picture of a prison it is found in Psalm 107 verses 10 through 16 and verse 10 describes these prisoners as those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and in irons. One writer has said some people are like prisoners trapped in the dungeon of their own moral folly. The victims of evil rather than the doers of it all.

They started out with the freedom of choice, but they continue to choose the wrong thing until the choice was finally taken away the thing they had done had mastered them, and they could not do anything else.

The drug addict would give anything to be set free from the chains of his habit but it has hooked him and he knows that the end of it will be his death in his sober moments, the alcoholic hates himself for the hell that he creates in his own home, but his bottle is like a chain and he knows that he cannot break loose from it.

Then there are those who are locked up in the prison house of abuse or persecution. This is an apt description of compulsive behaviors such as gambling, and other things that grab hold of people and will not let loose of them.

They are the prisoners of their own conduct. As we move through the gallery, we see picture number three this is the picture of a hospital, perhaps even the ICU unit in the hospital in verses 17 through 22 we read of this particular setting. In fact, there is a very apt description of a person caught in this situation. In verses 17 and 18 and it reads like this fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities were afflicted their soul apart all manner of food and they drew near to the gates of death. These are people who have because in this situation of their own sin. Although it is not always that way falling into sickness and the sickness is nigh unto death. They are indeed in the ICU unit waiting for their final moments on this earth and that brings us to the largest portico in the gallery and what I consider to be the main painting among the four. This is the painting of the storm.

Let me paint it for you in the words of verses 23 through 32. Those who go down to the sea in ships who do business on great waters. They see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep, for he commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of the sea, they mount up to the heavens. They go down again to the depths their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses.

He calms the storm so that its waves are still then they are glad because they are quiet so he guides them to their desired haven. All that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men, let them exalt him. Also in the assembly of the people and praise him in the company of the elders. The storm is a picture which all of us can identify because it encompasses many of the things that happened to us in life unexpected and yet severe in order for us to understand what's going on here and apply to our own lives. Let me just give you kind of a simple outline and let's go through this section I want you to notice.

First of all, the place where the storm takes place where it happens. Verses 23 and 24 says those who go down to the sea in ships who do business on great waters base see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep in this particular situation. The storm is reserved for those who do business in great waters.

They are not fishing in waiters are off the shore or off the dock. They have taken their ship out into the great waters and it is here that they face the storm and the difficulties of life. I've always taken great encouragement from this passage because often times when the storms of encompassed my life.

It is been during the time when I have been in the midst of risking something or taking a great step of faith are moving beyond the borders of safety and what I considered to be the will of God for my life. You remember the words of Jesus to Simon Peter in Luke chapter 5 when he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch, but Simon answered and said to him master.

We have toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless at your word. I will let down the net and when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking the Scripture teaches us that the great works are done in the deep waters not in the shallow waters near the shore.

One of the reasons why many churches stay at the same level throughout their whole history is because there is often a fearful moment in time when you step out in faith to take the next step to something greater or something that's going to encompass more people and many are unwilling to do that because the pressure and the stress and the storms are always greater as you move away from the shore. Many of you understand that in your own business adventures. If you stay safe. If you're unwilling to risk a little bit and take a step you will never grow beyond your present capacity is the expanding of the borders that causes it to happen, but often in that moment of time when you are the only one who understands what you're trying to do in your out there all by yourself. There can be moments that are very stormy in your life. Please remember that it is in the deep waters that the business of the Lord is done. It is in the deep waters where the storms come up if you stay by the shore. You will not have to worry much about the storms but you will not enjoy much of the blessing of the Lord, either in the next we notice the producer of the storm. As we look at the picture. There is something very unique about it. This is an unusual storm and I want you to read with me in verse 25. How it came about.

It says for he commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of the sea. Notice the word he is in capital letters and let me ask you this question cool because the storm God.

It was pretty weak. Most of you are a little bit shy about accusing God of causing storms but let's try that once more who caused the storm is not an interesting thought. Now it is not always true that the storms of our life are caused by God. On occasion we are in storms of our own choosing and of our own making. We get ourselves in messes in God has nothing to do with it may be just let us go proves to us that we need him badly, but there are times when God brings storms into our lives, and it is of his doing that it happened and I want to prove that to you not just on this isolated song, but from other passages as well. For instance, Job understood this in Job 23 1040 Road but he knows the way that I take and when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. Job understood that the problems that he was experiencing were allowed by Almighty God and that he was in the midst of a major test Psalm 66 is this you brought us into the mat.

You light affliction on our backs.

You have cause mental ride over our heads.

We went through fire and through water, but you brought us out to rich fulfillment who did the storm who caused it, who produced it was Almighty God. When Jonah ran away from the Lord, and he was running to Tarsus running away from the Lord.

It says in Jonah 14, but the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea and there was a mighty tempest on the sea so that the ship was about to be broken up who sent storm in Jonah's life, God did not just interesting that when you're in the midst of the storm. If you look around and you can figure out why it's happening, or why God has allowed it or you don't know of any particular sin in your life that may have caused him to be judging you. It is interesting to know that sometimes God puts us in the midst of the storm and he allows it for his own purposes, so that he can teach us what we need to learn to see that here in a moment want you to notice the peril of the storm and there are no more descriptive words and all of the Bible than the words of verses 26 and 27 this is what it says they mount up to the heavens.

They go down again to the depths their soul melts because of the trouble they reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end. Eugene Peterson translates that are paraphrases that little phrase in his message this way you shot high in the sky and the bottom dropped out your hearts were stuck in your throats, you were spun like a top view reeled like a drunken you didn't know which way was up how have you ever been in such a dire circumstance that that pretty well describes how you felt.

Notice there are five descriptive expressions. Here they go down to the depths their soul melts. They reel to and fro stagger like a drunken man and they are at their wits end. Did you know that that's where that expression came from that at your wits end is a Bible expression. It originated here in the Psalms.

Did you know that in the Psalm says that this storm has put them in a sense where they just don't know what to do. They have no concept of how to get out of the storm. The storm has taken the vessel out of their control and it now controls the vessel and they are simply spectators to the whole situation but of course in the midst of the peril.

There is a prayer know what you to notice this prayer.

Verse 28 then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses. How many of you know that our prayers in the midst of the storm tend to be somewhat short.

How many of you know that long prayers in church, but in the storm there pretty short. My wife and I were starting our church in Fort Wayne. We lived on a busy highway in a little house there in the driveway emptied right out into the highway, so it was kinda dangerous get out of there.

One day Donna was driving I was sitting in the passenger seat and she backed out into traffic. She didn't see a car coming. I looked over just in time to see it and I just said, Lord, help like that or sit helpless. Lord, is it like I'm a car hit us behind where I was seated instead of hitting us were I was seated I would probably been hurt and then Donna reminds me that I turned to her and said why did you do that she's never let me forget that I said that uncompassionate thing but I want you to know when you see a car coming toward you and your about to get hit, you don't have time for these bows and anything else that you might remember from church you justify a simple prayer can I get a witness there but understand that I want you to notice this. This verse is exactly the same as every situation which we have visited so far in the gallery. For instance, what does a launderer do in the desert when he's lost his way. Verse six. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distress. What does the captive do when you shut up in the prison house of his own making.

Verse 13 says then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distress and what does a patient in the ICU ward do when he's lost all hope. Verse 19. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. It's exactly the same verse in every situation as a reminder to us. But no matter what the problem is, no matter what the situation is the only way out is the way up.

The only way you going to get help in a helpless situation is to get help outside of yourself from someone stronger than you are someone who can actually extricate you from the situation. So in every situation.

It is a prayer unto Almighty God. Most of us know that in fact I secretly expect to find out when I get to heaven that God has allowed storms plan.

Some of them, perhaps even to drive us to our knees and remind us again that is self-sufficient as we may all think we are and as good as we are getting ourselves out of the jambs that we got into there are certain things that only God can control and he loves to bring us to our knees in dependence upon him all that we could learn to pray in times of peace with the intensity that we bring to the prayers in times of storm the prayer in the midst of the storm, then there is a dramatic change in the picture.

That is the peace in the storm. Verses 29 and 30 says, and he calms the storm so that the waves are still then they are glad because they are quiet.

How many of you know that one of the great things about being in the storm and knowing that God because the storm is the realization that the one who caused it.

Can shut it down to there's two places on the switch once is on and the other says often. He's in control of both of them and when they prayed unto the Lord in cried out to him and their trouble. He heard their prayer and he calm the storm so that the waves are still I was think about this in connection with the stories in the New Testament about the Lord Jesus with his disciples the Lord, I believe allowed things to happen in the lives of his disciples to teach them lessons they couldn't learning any other way. Some lessons are not learned in the classroom. Do you know that there learn by experience as you go through things together and remember the occasion when the disciples had gotten into the ship to go to the other side of the Lord Jesus got in the ship with them and he crawled into the back of the boat.

Any curled up and went to sleep and they got out into the middle of the sea, and it became very stormy and it was evident that the disciples were ready to just forget about everything they thought they were going to die and then it suddenly dawned on them that the one who created the wind and the waves in the sea was in there about asleep in the back and according to Matthew's gospel we read in Matthew 826 Jesus said to them, why are you fearful oh you of little faith, and he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. I don't know if you've noticed it but that story the story of the storm and Jesus in the boat has just popped up everywhere during this pandemic pastor after pastor television teacher after teacher discussions all of the Scripture is important, but some scriptures become very very vitally important when we go through some stuff together and the story of Jesus in the boat asleep during the storm has helped many and I think this Psalm Psalm 107 is going to be a go to passage for you as well in his soul geared to help us be reminded that God is with this incident is kind of vesicular thing you know we can ourselves in the storm and we cry out to God, he send somebody to deliver us and then before we know it were back in the storm again and this this passage of Scripture. Just as a riveting passage to help us understand how to deal with challenges like were going through right now so small that tomorrow and then Thursday and Friday am going to teach on Psalm 46 grade.

Martin Luther Psalm one intrusive next week will conclude with Psalm 16 support for moving through the Psalms of encouragement and I hope there a blessing to you.

Thank you so much for listening was humor. For more information on the Jeremiah series with visit. I whipsawed really often tend three ways to help you stay connected a monthly magazine Turning Point and have daily email devotional sign up today.

David Jeremiah.O/ready that David Jeremiah don't hold/ready and when you do ask for a copy of David's helpful shelter in the short to be an encouragement to you during unprecedented time and it sure was a gift of any amount for the Jeremiah studies on in the English standard and new international relations as well as in standard a large print in the new King James variety of cover option visit David Jeremiah thought world/radio I'm very hopefully join us tomorrow as we continue the series when your little falls apart to run thinning point with the Jeremiah thanks for taking time to listen to on tonight from these increasingly more savings and so