"Adversity is the Diamond, Dust Heaven Polishes Its Jewels With"

"Adversity is the Diamond, Dust Heaven Polishes Its Jewels With"
so that we can shine further with God.

Psalm 130
A Prayer for Help
From the depths of my despair
I call to you, Lord.
Hear my cry, O Lord;
listen to my call for help!
If you ket a record of our sins,
who could escape being condemned?
But you forgive us,
so that we should stand in awe of you.

 I wait eagerly for the Lord's help,
and in his word I trust.
I wait for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn
than watchmen wait for the dawn.

Israel, trust in the Lord,
because his love is constant
and he is always willing to save.
He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.

*Many are hurting but they don't know who to turn to
*We must have the gut to cry out to God at the rock bottom
*Bible says "God hears their cry"

1. Crying out to God (vs 1-2)
*v1 : From the depths of my despair,I call to you, Lord.
- a cry of desperation "Out of the depths"
*take a way self- pride
*"The depth" in Hebrew refers to the depths of the sea, the watery chaos in life"
Shortet verse. "Jesus wept" (John 11:32-38)
*He didn't cry once, he cried many times
*Real pray begins when desperation sets in
*What does God want from us more than anything else?
*You are close to him
*Love the Lord, Love your neighbour
vs 2 : Hear my cry, O Lord; listen to my call for help!
- A cry of doubt "Hear my voice"
*A christian must trust in a withdrawing God
Psalm 28:1 :
O Lord, my defender, I call to you.
Listen to my cry!
If you do not answer me,
I will be among those who go down
to the world of the dead

2. Recalling God's love (v3-4)
If you ket a record of our sins,

who could escape being condemned?
But you forgive us,
so that we should stand in awe of you.

*Worse panic-when we are disorientated
*God did not give up on us. We gave up on him
*Sin is fatal - "Who could stand"
*Sins of commission,
sins of omission
(we do nothing about it),
sins of presumption
(1. taking for granted the grace of God; 2. Do things that try God's patience; 3. We hear half truth and we make assumptions about that person)

*Good news! Forgiveness is available. It can never be exhausted

Romans 2:4 : Or perhaps you despise his great kindness, tolerance, and patience. Surely you know that God is kind, because he is trying to lead you to repent.

3. Longing for God's Presence (v5-6) - unfailing love

I wait eagerly for the Lord's help,

and in his word I trust.
I wait for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn
than watchmen wait for the dawn.


*We are always tempted to give up -don't!

Matthew 5:6: "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!

*We would not value God's blessings if they always arrived at the instant we felt we need them

4. Share the blessing (v7-8)

Israel, trust in the Lord,

because his love is constant
and he is always willing to save.
He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.

*The writer is so joyful that he wants others to experience his joy
*There is no evidene that anything has changed in his circumstances yet
*God's love is abundant -
v7: "With the Lord, there is forgiveness"
v8: He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.



Conclusion
*When we learn the secret of how to rejoice in the Lord in the midst of a hard situation, then we know how to help someone else.


**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**