FROM TIRED TO INSPIRED
Ps. 77
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: NEW YEARS JOKES
1. A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
2. In 2020, may your neighbors respect you, troubles neglect you, angels protect you, and heaven accept you.
3. May all your troubles last as long as your New Year resolutions.
4. Remember you can reset your resolutions on January 14th (Orthodox New Year) and February 8th (Chinese New Year). After that, even I can't help you.
5. Keep the smile, Leave the tear, Retain the laugh, Leave the pain, Think of joy, Forget the fear. Be joyous, cause its a New Year.
6. New Year’s Eve is when the Mayor drops the ball in New York while Congress is dropping the ball in Washington.
7. “Every New Year I resolve to lose 20 pounds, and I do. The problem is that I gain 30.” - Melanie White
B. THESIS
1. Christmas is meant to be a time of good cheer, relaxation, and celebration, but 4 out of 5 people say it’s one of the most stressful times of the year.
2. Why? Think of the shopping for gifts, the holiday parties to plan, the decorations to put up, the meals to cook, the Christmas cards to address & send, getting & decorating the tree, fighting the Christmas traffic, straining for the money to buy the gifts, planning travel to family, cleaning the house, facing relatives you don’t get along with, getting paper & wrapping the gifts, and cooking the most important meal of the year! All with a deadline.
3. In the article, “For Women, it’s the Most Stressful Time of the Year” by Brigid Schulte, she explains why it’s so difficult for women. They feel it’s their responsibility to recreate the same Christmas atmosphere of sights, smells, food, and family togetherness that they experienced as a child at Christmas.
4. Women feel they must be the “family-makers.” They must create the rituals and traditions that help the family form into a family unit. That’s why they feel compelled to recreate the kind of Christmas they remember as a child, even though their mom didn’t work at a full-time job. That’s tough to do!
5. That explains some of why we’re so tired. But we have a new year coming: 2020, so we need to go “From Tired to Inspired” – inspired to enter a new year and make it the best year it can be for Christ. We’re going to look at a guy named Asaph and see how he went “From Tired to Inspired.”
I. ASAPH BECAME EXHAUSTED & DISCOURAGED
A. TEXT
1 “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. 3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint….” Ps. 77:1-3
B. SOURCE OF ASAPH’S TROUBLES
1. Psalm 77 was written by Asaph. He’s identified as the writer of 12 Psalms and was a Levite. He was commissioned by David to be in charge of singing at the First Temple (1 Chron. 6:39). So Asaph was both close to God and recognized by Israel as having an anointing to minister to God in worship. He inspired others!
2. Yet here he is in Psalm 77 telling us of a time he felt exhausted, discouraged, and like God was a million miles away. In east Texas vernacular, he had to “reach up to feel bottom.”
3. Asaph not only had normal life-troubles, he was also beset with discouragement and fears. He went to God in diligent prayer, crying to God with all his heart, but He seemed to get no relief by seeking God. Then he tried to prop up his faith by arguing with himself using thoughts from God’s Word. But here again, he seemed to get no relief.
C. LUCINDA NORMAN’S CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE
1. Lucinda Norman wrote an article for Lookout Magazine (12/5/96) in which she described her shopping experience in a busy mall.
2. People had been pushing, elbowing, and cutting in front of her all day. Hardly able to take it anymore, she says, “During a 10-minute special (a 35% off discount), a woman grabbed a lace tablecloth out of my hands. I looked her straight in the eye and grunted, “Mine!” and yanked it back. I won.”
3. Entering a mall restaurant, she flagged down a server and said, “I need hot tea, now!” The server said, “I’m not your server; wait your turn!” She said, “I’ve been waiting my turn all day; I need some tea!” The server walked away.
4. A few minutes later, a friendly young man came to their table, smiling, and said, “I’m Rob, your waiter.” After he took their order, he helped the rude waitress with her tray. One of Lucinda’s companions said, “Did you notice he’s wearing a ring that spells ‘Jesus?’”
5. Lucinda says, “From that moment my attitude changed. The young man’s attitude reminded me of the peace Christ came to bring.” She did some soul searching and repenting and started acting more like Jesus.
D. THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR?
1. Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the year, but we have the tendency to OVERDO IT. We get all hyped up, leading up to Christmas day, but then comes the LETDOWN AFTER CHRISTMAS.
2. After reaching the pinnacle of the Christmas experience, it becomes like a balloon that lets out all its air and is once again a little rubber bag on the floor.
3. “Christmas” doesn’t last, because most of our festivities are based upon human effort. Once it’s over, we return to our work and our problems, and to cleaning and dismantling everything we’d set up. Back to the daily grind. So how are we to regain our victory, motivation, and our determination to make a difference for Jesus Christ in the coming year?
4. Let’s go back and see what Asaph did.
II. HE REMEMBERED GOD’S FORMER FAITHFULNESS
A. TEXT
5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked,…8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?...10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Ps. 77:5-12
B. ASAPH DEFEATED DISCOURAGEMENT
1. Asaph confronted his depression and lethargy with six questions (vss. 7-9): “Will the Lord reject forever?” “Has His favor failed?” “Has His love vanished?” “Has His promise failed?” “Has He forgotten mercy?” “Will He withhold compassion?”
2. Asaph used these questions like a sword against the whispering lies of Satan and finally struck down every one and confirmed to himself that God is loving and good. In his heart again felt victory over unbelief.
3. Asaph remembered God’s former faithfulness and got a new, uplifting vision for his future.
C. SOLUTIONS: GET A NEW VISION OF GOD BY…
1. BREAKING OUT OF YOUR NORM. Get God’s creative faith working in your life again by breaking out of your normal pattern and doing something completely different.
a. When you’ve “run-aground” focusing on just one thing (a problem or a situation that won’t budge) and can’t seem to get unstuck, it’s time for some fresh air. Get out of your norm and do a series of different things.
b. Someone has said, “God can’t steer a parked car; we need to get moving in order for God to steer it.” Sometimes we get bogged down; we must break out of our rut in order to get perspective and a clearer sense of what God is trying to say to us.
c. Attend a class; begin to volunteer at some community-serving ministry (the poor, the elderly, the hospital, read to children, volunteer at your church, etc.). Most importantly, get out of the house!
2. LISTEN TO TRIUMPHANT CHRISTIAN MUSIC
a. Our sanctified imagination can be triggered by listening to great hymns or songs. Many of these songs were born during great revivals or revelations, or after great victories, so they can impart to the hearer some of the heavenly atmosphere which existed when the song was written.
b. They can be like an oasis to the weary pilgrim trudging through life’s wilderness. We can hear of their great trials and how God came on the scene and saved them from all their troubles. We can see through their eyes the mighty arm of God stretched out in miracle-working power, and be encouraged in our faith that God will also do it for us today!
c. This may include attending a Christian concert. They can give you a new high of being with a large number of on-fire Christians. Go see a Christian movie.
3. GO ON A SHORT VACATION OR GET OUT INTO NATURE.
Nothing can rejuvenate your spirit like exposure to grand vistas of mountains, or canyons, or water falls, or oceans, or forests, or even a good look at the stars at night. God left His signature on the nature He created
4. TALK IT OUT WITH A FRIEND OR PASTOR
Talking through your problems with a friend can really help to get it off your chest and get a new insight into how to understand and deal with it. Sometimes we can be looking at it all wrong or with an imperfect view, and a second pair of eyes can see things we haven’t seen. It’s amazing what clarity a person not involved can bring to our one-sided view. Two heads are usually better than one.
5. ATTEND A CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE. There are youth conferences, women’s conferences, Men’s, Prayer, Bible conferences, etc. These will feed and rejuvenate your spirit.
III. ASAPH’S FAITH REVIVED
A. TEXT
13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as 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. 16 The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed….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. Ps. 77:13-20
B. WE NEED A GOD WHO INCITES OUR WONDER
1. What drives people to go way out in the deserts of Arizona to see the Grand Canyon? They want to see something bigger than themselves! Why do they go to Niagara Falls? To see something majestic, mighty, staggering!
2. The God of the Bible is a God described by words like “Almighty, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Infinite, Eternal, and Immortal,” to mention only a few.
3. All around us are the signs of His POWER:
a. GOD’S VASTNESS -is seen in the physical universe which seems to have no limits and includes hundreds of billions of galaxies!
b. HIS POWER -- is mirrored in the great flaming orbs of the stars, in the power of the Sea and of the Wind.
c. HIS ETERNITY – is seen in the measureless eons of time.
4. It’s so easy to take the Bible, or church, or our relationship with God, or prayer for granted – they can lose their sacredness/ uniqueness in our hearts and become common.
5. It’s easy to think we understand God, have figured Him out, that we have this whole Christianity thing down. As J. B. Phillips put it; “To many people God has been captured, tamed, and trained to their liking.”
6. But God says, “Among those who approach Me…I will be honored” Lev. 10:3 and “Those who honor me I will honor” 1Sam. 2:30.
7. We need to fear Him and tremble at His presence! Only then will we really honor Him in our hearts and be allowed to know Him.
C. GET INSPIRED AGAIN!
1. Inspired means “filled with the urge or ability to do something, especially something creative” -- attempt the impossible!
2. TRY SOMETHING FOR GOD YOU NEVER HAVE BEFORE. It’s like Peter stepping out of his boat. The best reason to get out of your boat is because JESUS IS THERE! Jesus is not manifested in your comfort zone; rather, Jesus is manifested OUTSIDE your comfort zone!
3. Think of all the times in Scripture where God supernaturally came on the scene; in virtually every one of them, the people had stepped outside their comfort zone:
a. The three Hebrews thrown into the fire.
b. Moses standing before Pharaoh's court.
c. Gideon’s 300 soldiers facing an army.
d. Blind Bartimaeus crying, the man borne by four coming through the ceiling, the woman with the issue crawling and reaching, the Syro-Phoenician woman pursuing Jesus into the house.
e. Jesus was manifested when they got out of their comfort zone!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. You may have heard the story of the child who was rescued from the fire in a high-rise apartment complex. Flames were engulfing the building and a child came to the window on the fourth floor and cried out for help.
2. A fireman started up an extension ladder from a fire truck to rescue the child, but the winds whipped the flames into a roaring inferno and the fireman got so hot that he wavered and started backing down the ladder.
3. However, thousands of people had gathered and were watching the conflagration. Their hearts quaked at the thought of the child having to perish in the fire, as it would if the fireman didn’t reach it.
4. Someone in the crowd cried, “Give him a cheer!” The massive crowd began cheering the fireman on. Cheer after cheer went up. The fireman was given fresh courage in risk his life. He climbed up into the midst of the smoke and the fire, and brought down the child to safety.” [Knight’s 3,000 Illus. p. 240]
5. Sometimes things are only accomplished when we cheer each other on, to keep going. I want to encourage you to fight the good fight of faith, to redouble your efforts, to remember that a great reward is for you some day.
6. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” Heb. 12:1-2, NIV.
7. This is your hour. You have the opportunity for greatness. Now is the only time you’ll ever have to rescue lost souls from the flames. Let’s do it!
B. ALTAR CALL
1. Have you been discouraged? Are you feel weak and need a shot from the Holy Spirit? Have you lost hope? Has the world ground you down? We want to pray for you!
2. How many of you would say, “I need to restart my walk with the Lord?” Or say, “Pray for me to get boldness to step out into something new.”
3. We’re going to sing the song, “They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength.” As we do, why don’t you come to the front and we’re going to pray together.
4. Prayer for salvation.
