GOD DELIVERS

Psa. 107:6, 13, 19, 28

Prayer

Today, I want to discuss the 107^th Psalm.

Itís about four groups of people who had problems.

All four groups cried out to God.

And all four groups were delivered.

The 1^st group wandered in the wilderness.

Verse 4 reads, ìThey wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way;î

ìThey found no city to dwell in.î

We donít know who this group was.

Some say it was Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

They wandered in the Promised Land;

Lived in tents;

Longed for the day they could live in that heavenly city designed and built by ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

God.

Paul said, ìBy faith he [Abraham] sojourned in the land of promise, as in a ÝÝ

strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

with him of the same promise:î

ìFor he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is

Godî (Heb. 11:9-10).

Others say this was the Hebrews in the wilderness.

Moses led them to Kadesh-Barnea.

God told them to go in and possess the land.

But they didnít trust God.

He turned them around.

And they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

Still others say this refers to people today;

People searching for something;

Moving from city to city;

Job to job;

Marriage to marriage;

Church to Church.

Verse 5 reads, ìHungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.î

Many canít find a Church where they can feed on the Bread of Life;

A Church where they can drink from the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.

So they wander from Church to Church.

Or, they stop attending Church altogether.

ìThen they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out Ý

of their distresses (Vs. 6).

ìAnd he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

habitationì (Vs. 7).

They cried out to God.

He led them in the right way.

Why?

So they could go to heaven.

Turn your life over to God.

Let Him put you on the straight path.

Let Him lead you through the wilderness.

Let Him lead you to that heavenly city.

Dr. Henry Brandt said, ìYou cannot erase the past.î

ìYou cannot decide what your marriage partner will do.î

ìYou cannot control the conduct of your associates.î

ìYou cannot control the turn of world events.î

ìBut you can control your sin.î

You cannot change the ways of others.

But you can change your ways.

J. C. Penny said, ìThe problem is not learning to get along with others.î

ìThe problem is learning to change ourselves.î

Your sin is not someone elseís fault.

Your sin is your fault.

And you can do something about it.

ìOh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful

works to the children of men!î

ìFor he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodnessî ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

(Vs. 8).

We need to praise God.

He is good to us.

He wants to get us out of the wilderness.

He wants to lead us in ways that are right.

And He wants to give us that inner peace that passes all understanding.

The 2^nd group was bound in a dark prison.

Verse 10 reads, ìSuch as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being ÝÝ

bound in affliction and iron.î

When the Hebrews left Egypt, God took them to Migdol for their first test ÝÝÝ

(Ex. 14:2).

They failed it.

Pharaoh trapped them against the Red Sea.

They asked, ìDid you bring us into the wilderness to dieî (Ex. 14:11)?

Next, God took them to Marah for their second test (Ex. 15:23).

They failed it.

They arrived thirsty.

But the water was too bitter to drink.

They complained.

They blamed God.

Then, God took them to Rephidim for their third test (Ex. 17:1).

They failed it.

They got thirsty again.

ìWherefore is this that thou has brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us . . .

with thirstî (Ex. 17:3)?

Are you beginning to see the picture?

The Hebrews wandered in darkness;

Prisoners of sin;

Bound and chained with shackles of unbelief;

Failing every test God sent their way.

This is a picture of the lost person.

Wandering in darkness;

A prisoner of sin;

Bound and chained by sinful attitudes, habits, materialism and pleasure;

Failing every test God sends his way.

Saturday afternoon he thinks, ìI should go to Church tomorrow.î

But he decides to get the boat ready and go fishing.

The next Sunday he wakes up thinking, ìI should get up and go to Church.î

But he decides to roll over and go back to sleep.

Heís bound by sin.

Failing the tests of God.

Why does this happen?

The Psalmist said, ìBecause they rebelled against the words of God, and ÝÝÝÝÝ

contemned the counsel of the most Highî (Vs. 11).

These people donít want to live by the Word of God.

They reject the very wisdom of God.

And notice, what happens.

ìTherefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

was none to helpî (Vs. 12).

Many donít believe this.

But some problems are sent by God.

We have them because God sees a need to humble us.

When He does, no one can help us.

We can go to the doctor.

We can get the pastor and Church to pray.

But that wonít change the situation because God is at work in our life.

ìThen they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of ÝÝ

their distressesî (Vs. 13).

Thatís where we can get help.

God wonít hide from a crying sinner.

God can set a crying sinner free.

Repentance is a step toward deliverance.

ìHe brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their Ý

bands in sunderî (Vs. 14).

When Moses cried out to God at Migdol, God parted the waters and the ÝÝÝÝÝ

Hebrews walked across on dry land.

When Moses cried out to God at Marah, God told him to cast a tree into the water

and it became sweet.

When Moses cried out to God at Rephidim, God sent him to Horeb to strike a ÝÝÝÝÝÝ

rock and pure water gushed forth.

ìOh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful

works to the children of menî (Vs. 15).

ìFor he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunderî ÝÝÝ

(Vs. 16).

We need to praise God.

He delivers us out of our problems.

Jean-Paul Sartie said, ìMan can count on no one but himself.î

Thatís not what God said.

God said, ìYouíre not alone.î

ìCry out to me.î

ìIíll tear down the prison gates.î

ìIíll cut the prison bars in two.î

ìIíll set the prisoner free.î

Some people say, ìIím chained to my sinful habits.î

ìI canít break my chains.î

God says, ìCome to me, chains and all.î

ìYou canít break them, but I can.î

Samuel Johnson talked about this.

He said, ìThe chains of sin are too small to be felt at first.î

ìBut they become too strong to be broken without Godís help.î

We underestimate the power of sin.

We think we can run our own lives.

But we can get in over our head.

We can think one drink wonít matter.

But we can get hooked.

We can think missing Church one time wonít matter.

But we can wind up not going at all.

The small chains of sin can become stronger and stronger, harder and harder ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

to break.

A Japanese Company offered $50,000 for just one very large blue fin tuna.

Some inexperienced fishermen were impressed.

ì$50,000 for just one very large blue fin tuna.î

ìWeíll catch one.î

They didnít realize that a very large blue fin tuna can weigh as much as 1500

pounds.

They went out in small boats.

One group in the 19 foot Cristi Ann hooked a large blue fin tuna.

The fish pulled the boat through high waves and capsized it.

A second fish capsized the 27 foot Basic Instinct the same way.

A third fish capsized the 28 foot Official Business the same way.

Three boats in one day because the fishermen underestimated the power of ÝÝ

the large blue fin tuna.

Thatís the way sin is.

People underestimate the power of sin.

They become a prisoner before they realize whatís happening.

The 3^rd group suffered from ignorance.

ìFools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are ÝÝÝÝÝ

afflictedî (Vs. 17).

A fool is someone who lacks good judgment;

Someone who sins without considering the consequences.

A young lady I know is expecting a baby out of wedlock.

Itís bad enough that sheís not married.

But she was born with an affliction.

She has to take medicine.

Her medicine can kill or deform her baby.

The birth of her child can kill her.

Her doctor wants her to have an abortion.

She doesnít want it.

She believes itís wrong.

I agree that itís wrong in most cases.

But this case would be a problem for me.

If it was my daughter, I wouldnít know how to advise her.

Is this young lady a fool?

The Bible tells me not to call her a fool.

But it teaches that she has done a foolish thing (Titus 3:3).

Weíve all been there, done that.

A person needs to consider the consequences.

ìWhat if I get AIDS?î

What if I get hooked on drugs?

What if my sugar goes too high?

What if I get drunk and have a wreck?

What if I get cancer?

What if my medical bills cost thousands of dollars?

A person also needs to consider God.

Napoleon said, ìI will conquer the world.î

He didnít count on Wellington defeating him at Waterloo.

In exile, he wrote, ìThere was a hand moving in Europe which I did not see.î

ìI did not see the hand of God.î

Thatís the fool.

He sins because he does not see the hand of God.

ìTheir soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates Ý

of deathî (Vs. 18).

This Bible is meat for the soul.

Donít abhor what it says.

Folly can bring you close to the gates of death.

It was 1967.

A small private plane was approaching the Ashville, North Carolina airport.

The pilot was careless.

He wandered slightly off course.

He didnít get off course very much.

But he got off course just enough to collide with a 727 that was approaching

the same airport.

Everyone was killed.

If you get away from the Bible, youíre getting off course.

Just one little careless act can do a lot of harm to you and to others.

ìThen they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of ÝÝÝÝ

their distressesî (Vs. 19).

ìHe sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their ÝÝÝÝÝ

destructionsî (Vs. 20).

Donít despise that pastor, Sunday School teacher, or friend that speaks the ÝÝ

Word of God to you.

Pay attention to the Word of God.

Admit your sins.

Cry out to God;

And look for help.

ìOh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful

works to the children of menî (Vs. 21).

ìLet them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with

rejoicingî (Vs. 22).

We need to praise God by doing what He wants us to do.

And joyfully tell others what He has done.

The 4^th group went out to sea.

ìThey that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great watersî

(Vs. 23).

ìThese see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deepî (Vs. 24).

This group knows what God can do.

But they choose to ignore it.

God sent the Ten Plagues to make Pharaoh let His people go.

He parted the Red Sea to let His people escape the Egyptian army.

Godís people knew what He could do.

But they chose to ignore it.

While Moses was up on Mt. Sinai, they made a golden calf.

And worshiped it.

Look at how God responds.

ìFor he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves

thereofî (Vs. 25).

Satan causes some of our problems.

We bring some of our problems on ourselves.

But some of our problems are because, ìGod commandeth, and raiseth the Ý

storm.î

Consider Jonah.

He knew what God wanted.

But he pushed Godís will aside;

Got on a ship;

Went out to sea.

And God sent a storm.

The waves rocked the boat.

Our text reads, ìThey mount up to the heaven,î

ìThey go down again to the depths:î

ìTheir soul is melted because of troubleî (Vs. 23).

The waves in Godís storm will go up to heaven.

They will drop down to the depths of the sea.

They will scare the living daylights out of people.

ìThey [people will] reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

their wit's endî (Vs. 27).

Have you ever been to your witís end?

God knows how to bring you to your witís end;

How to make you reel and stagger like a drunk man;

How to make you get on your knees and cry out for help.

He did it to John Newton.

John Newton owned a ship.

He transported slaves from Africa to England.

Slave trading was a sin.

He ran into a storm.

The waves grew higher and higher.

John Newton thought these waves will sink my ship.

And I will die.

ìThen they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of Ý

their distressesî (Vs. 28).

John Newton cried out to God.

He gave his heart to God.

God delivered him.

He became a great preacher.

He wrote a great song.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound,

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ That saved a wretch like me!

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ I once was lost, but now am found,

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Was blind, but now I see.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ëTwas grace that taught my heart to fear,

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ And grace my fears re-lieved;

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ How precious did that grace appear

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The hour I first believed.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Throí many dangers, toils and snares,

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ I have already come;

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Tis grace hath broít me safe thus far

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ And grace will lead me home

And I say to you, if youíve come to your witís end.

Thereís always the chance that itís the grace of God working in your life.

Finally, ìHe maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are stillî

(Vs. 29).

ìThen are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their ÝÝÝÝÝ

desired havenî (Vs. 30).

God can stop the storm.

God can bring you into a safe haven.

Be happy about that.

ìOh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful

works to the children of menî (Vs. 31).

ìLet them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in

the assembly of the eldersî (Vs. 32).

We need to learn to exalt God in the congregation of the people;

To praise God in the assembly of the elders.

This message can be summarized by one verse of Scripture.

ìCall upon me in the day of trouble:î

ìI will deliver thee,î

ìAnd thou shalt glorify meî (Psa. 50:15).