100:00:00,380 –> 00:00:03,880Pastor Colin Smith200:00:03,880 –> 00:00:04,940Perhaps you’ve said,300:00:04,940 –> 00:00:06,520you know, I’m really just going through a very400:00:06,520 –> 00:00:08,680dry time right now.500:00:08,680 –> 00:00:11,220What do you mean by that is that600:00:11,220 –> 00:00:12,660your energy is low?700:00:12,660 –> 00:00:13,980It’s not what it usually is,800:00:13,980 –> 00:00:16,520everything seems flat to you.900:00:16,520 –> 00:00:18,120You don’t get excited about1000:00:18,120 –> 00:00:20,219things in the way that you used to do.1100:00:20,219 –> 00:00:22,500You don’t laugh like you used to.1200:00:22,500 –> 00:00:23,940Welcome to open the Bible1300:00:23,940 –> 00:00:25,139with pastor Colin Smith.1400:00:25,139 –> 00:00:26,280I’m David Pick.1500:00:26,280 –> 00:00:27,840Glad you could be with us today.1600:00:27,840 –> 00:00:29,440Colin, I’m guessing many people who1700:00:29,940 –> 00:00:31,139are hearing this can relate to those1800:00:31,139 –> 00:00:32,660kinds of feelings, can’t they?1900:00:32,660 –> 00:00:33,900That’s exactly right.2000:00:33,900 –> 00:00:35,279And one of the wonderful things2100:00:35,279 –> 00:00:37,639about the Bible is that it speaks2200:00:37,639 –> 00:00:40,540to every aspect of life.2300:00:40,540 –> 00:00:42,240And we’re going to look at one of my2400:00:42,240 –> 00:00:45,820favorite Psalms today, Psalm 42,2500:00:45,820 –> 00:00:47,799where you have this question,2600:00:47,799 –> 00:00:50,820Why are you cast down, O my soul?2700:00:50,820 –> 00:00:54,880And why are you in turmoil within me?2800:00:54,880 –> 00:00:55,919And then the answer,2900:00:55,919 –> 00:00:57,580Hope in God,3000:00:57,880 –> 00:01:00,439for I shall again praise him,3100:01:00,439 –> 00:01:02,959my salvation and my God.3200:01:02,959 –> 00:01:06,120We’re really looking at how you find hope3300:01:06,120 –> 00:01:08,440when you feel that your energy’s gone,3400:01:08,440 –> 00:01:09,820that everything’s flat,3500:01:09,820 –> 00:01:11,860that you’re really discouraged.3600:01:11,860 –> 00:01:14,820Psalm 42 is like medicine for the soul.3700:01:14,820 –> 00:01:16,980And I hope and pray that God will renew3800:01:16,980 –> 00:01:18,800hope in our hearts as we open3900:01:18,800 –> 00:01:20,220the Bible together today.4000:01:20,220 –> 00:01:21,500Well, you’ve already heard where4100:01:21,500 –> 00:01:23,419we’re going to be today, Psalm 42,4200:01:23,419 –> 00:01:25,339so join us there if you can4300:01:25,339 –> 00:01:27,860as we begin a message, hope in God.4400:01:27,860 –> 00:01:29,540Here is Pastor Colin.4500:01:29,540 –> 00:01:31,900In one of the best known and best loved4600:01:31,900 –> 00:01:33,559chapters of the whole Bible,4700:01:33,559 –> 00:01:35,120the Apostle Paul tells us4800:01:35,120 –> 00:01:38,379that there are three things that will remain,4900:01:38,379 –> 00:01:42,739faith, hope, and love.5000:01:42,739 –> 00:01:45,040Our knowledge is going to pass away.5100:01:45,040 –> 00:01:47,559Our gifts are going to pass away.5200:01:47,559 –> 00:01:50,620The mark that each of us makes on the world5300:01:50,620 –> 00:01:52,639will one day pass away,5400:01:52,639 –> 00:01:57,639but faith, hope, and love remain forever.5500:01:58,879 –> 00:02:02,680And if you have your Bible open at Psalm 42,5600:02:02,680 –> 00:02:05,839you’ll notice there that there is a heading5700:02:05,839 –> 00:02:08,479and it says to the Choir Master,5800:02:08,479 –> 00:02:12,779a mascal of the sons of Chorah.5900:02:12,779 –> 00:02:17,559The sons of Chorah were Levites who led worship,6000:02:17,559 –> 00:02:20,800and it could be that the psalm was written by them,6100:02:20,800 –> 00:02:23,339or it could be that the psalm was written6200:02:23,339 –> 00:02:26,000by King David for them.6300:02:26,000 –> 00:02:28,740And I’m going to assume as we come6400:02:28,740 –> 00:02:32,199to the psalm today, the latter.6500:02:32,199 –> 00:02:37,160Now, I want to draw your attention especially to verse five,6600:02:37,160 –> 00:02:38,820where we have the theme of hope.6700:02:40,059 –> 00:02:44,240Why are you cast out O my soul?6800:02:44,240 –> 00:02:47,639And why are you in turmoil within me?6900:02:48,559 –> 00:02:50,460Hope in God.7000:02:51,720 –> 00:02:56,679Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him,7100:02:56,679 –> 00:03:00,039my salvation and my God.7200:03:00,039 –> 00:03:01,440Now, if you look down in your Bible7300:03:01,440 –> 00:03:04,119then to verse 11 of Psalm 42,7400:03:04,119 –> 00:03:06,419you will find that he says exactly7500:03:06,419 –> 00:03:08,720the same thing again.7600:03:08,720 –> 00:03:11,199Why are you cast out O my soul?7700:03:11,199 –> 00:03:14,039And why are you in turmoil within me?7800:03:14,039 –> 00:03:17,279Hope in God, for I shall again7900:03:17,660 –> 00:03:21,199praise Him, my salvation and my God.8000:03:22,160 –> 00:03:25,279Now, it’s generally reckoned that Psalm 428100:03:25,279 –> 00:03:29,360and Psalm 43 were actually originally one Psalm,8200:03:29,360 –> 00:03:31,039that they belonged together.8300:03:31,039 –> 00:03:34,979And if you look at Psalm 43 and verse five,8400:03:34,979 –> 00:03:36,660the last verse of that Psalm,8500:03:36,660 –> 00:03:39,740you will see that he says the same thing yet again,8600:03:39,740 –> 00:03:41,520a third time.8700:03:41,520 –> 00:03:43,960Why are you cast out O my soul?8800:03:43,960 –> 00:03:46,119Why are you in turmoil within me?8900:03:46,279 –> 00:03:49,479Hope in God,9000:03:49,479 –> 00:03:54,460for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.9100:03:55,720 –> 00:03:58,479Now it’s clear then that hope9200:03:58,479 –> 00:04:02,020is the central theme of this Psalm.9300:04:02,020 –> 00:04:05,899And that is our focus as we begin this series today.9400:04:07,020 –> 00:04:11,199Now, no one needs hope when life is going swimmingly well.9500:04:11,199 –> 00:04:13,039When you’re healthy, when you’re happy,9600:04:13,039 –> 00:04:15,039when you’re at home in the world,9700:04:15,039 –> 00:04:17,600all you want to do is, well, you know the phrase,9800:04:17,600 –> 00:04:22,519live in the moment, savour what you’re able to enjoy.9900:04:22,519 –> 00:04:24,920But you’ll notice from this Psalm10000:04:24,920 –> 00:04:26,799that David, when he wrote it,10100:04:26,799 –> 00:04:30,160was in a very different place.10200:04:30,160 –> 00:04:33,540Perhaps the best way to describe his experience here10300:04:33,540 –> 00:04:36,140is that he was dried out.10400:04:37,179 –> 00:04:39,399Look at what he says in verse one.10500:04:39,399 –> 00:04:44,279As a deer pants for flowing streams.10600:04:44,279 –> 00:04:46,519Like a man desperate for water.10700:04:46,519 –> 00:04:49,019You know what this is like.10800:04:49,019 –> 00:04:51,959You go through a dry season.10900:04:53,059 –> 00:04:54,239Perhaps you’ve said, you know,11000:04:54,239 –> 00:04:57,459I’m really just going through a very dry time right now,11100:04:58,380 –> 00:04:59,959and what you would mean by that11200:04:59,959 –> 00:05:01,799is that your energy is low.11300:05:01,799 –> 00:05:03,440It’s not what it usually is.11400:05:03,440 –> 00:05:05,799Everything seems flat to you.11500:05:05,799 –> 00:05:07,679You don’t get excited about things11600:05:07,679 –> 00:05:09,380in the way that you used to do.11700:05:09,380 –> 00:05:11,640You don’t laugh like you used to.11800:05:12,559 –> 00:05:15,799Dry times come,11900:05:15,799 –> 00:05:18,440and for a Christian, when dry times come,12000:05:18,440 –> 00:05:20,660our first instinct is to say,12100:05:20,660 –> 00:05:22,519well you know, I’m really feeling dry,12200:05:22,519 –> 00:05:26,760so I need to seek after God more,12300:05:26,760 –> 00:05:28,559and so you turn to the Bible,12400:05:29,619 –> 00:05:32,920and what you find is12500:05:32,920 –> 00:05:36,179that your reading of the Bible seems to be flat.12600:05:36,179 –> 00:05:39,959Nothing seems to be jumping out at you.12700:05:40,579 –> 00:05:44,859You’re making a greater effort to seek after God,12800:05:44,859 –> 00:05:48,760and you just don’t feel that you’re making much progress.12900:05:48,760 –> 00:05:51,019That’s what it feels like to be dry,13000:05:52,100 –> 00:05:56,140and that’s precisely where David is here,13100:05:56,140 –> 00:05:58,459as the deer pants for flowing streams,13200:05:58,459 –> 00:06:01,260so pants my soul for you, oh God.13300:06:01,260 –> 00:06:04,679My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.13400:06:04,679 –> 00:06:07,700See, he loves God, he’s seeking God.13500:06:07,700 –> 00:06:09,019He wants more of God.13600:06:09,019 –> 00:06:10,720He wants to feel close to God.13700:06:10,720 –> 00:06:12,940The problem is that God seems13800:06:12,940 –> 00:06:15,920to be so very, very far away.13900:06:15,920 –> 00:06:18,380He seeks God, but he cannot find him.14000:06:18,380 –> 00:06:20,140And so he says, verse two,14100:06:20,140 –> 00:06:24,440when can I come and appear before God?14200:06:26,940 –> 00:06:31,040Now, there are at least seven descriptions14300:06:31,040 –> 00:06:35,040in the Psalm of what David was experiencing.14400:06:35,040 –> 00:06:37,559I’m going to call them symptoms.14500:06:38,359 –> 00:06:41,140This was his experience.14600:06:41,140 –> 00:06:45,760First, as we’ve seen, he felt dry.14700:06:45,760 –> 00:06:47,920As a deer pants for flowing streams,14800:06:47,920 –> 00:06:50,540so pants my soul for you, O God.14900:06:50,540 –> 00:06:54,660My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.15000:06:55,820 –> 00:06:58,660Not only is he dry, but he feels tearful.15100:06:58,660 –> 00:07:01,239Verse three, my tears have been15200:07:01,239 –> 00:07:04,299my food day and night.15300:07:04,299 –> 00:07:06,119My tears have been my food.15400:07:06,119 –> 00:07:07,380Now, I take that to mean15500:07:07,380 –> 00:07:08,920that he had lost his appetite.15600:07:08,920 –> 00:07:10,660He wasn’t eating very much.15700:07:10,660 –> 00:07:13,140Probably not eating anything at all.15800:07:13,140 –> 00:07:14,920He was weeping.15900:07:14,920 –> 00:07:16,200That’s how it was.16000:07:17,519 –> 00:07:20,420And then notice thirdly, he was downcast.16100:07:20,420 –> 00:07:23,660You have that in verse five and verse 11.16200:07:23,660 –> 00:07:28,339Why are you cast down, O my soul?16300:07:28,339 –> 00:07:31,339And then fourthly, in the same verses,16400:07:31,339 –> 00:07:32,700he’s in turmoil.16500:07:32,700 –> 00:07:35,739Why are you in turmoil within me?16600:07:35,739 –> 00:07:37,459What a word that is, turmoil.16700:07:37,459 –> 00:07:39,579His stomach’s churning.16800:07:40,619 –> 00:07:42,220He feels overwhelmed.16900:07:42,220 –> 00:07:45,720Verse 7, he says it’s like one wave after another17000:07:45,720 –> 00:07:47,140just breaking over me.17100:07:47,140 –> 00:07:49,540I just feel completely overwhelmed.17200:07:49,540 –> 00:07:51,600My stomach churns at the very thought17300:07:51,600 –> 00:07:53,040of what lies ahead of me.17400:07:54,940 –> 00:07:57,399Fifthly, in verse nine he feels forgotten.17500:07:58,299 –> 00:08:03,299I say to God my rock, why have you forgotten me?17600:08:06,739 –> 00:08:09,959And then sixthly he’s mourning.17700:08:09,959 –> 00:08:13,320Why do I go mourning?17800:08:13,320 –> 00:08:16,880And the use of the word mourning clearly indicates17900:08:16,880 –> 00:08:21,519that he was experiencing some kind of loss,18000:08:21,519 –> 00:08:24,459and that indeed was part of what was going on18100:08:24,459 –> 00:08:26,140in his life at this time.18200:08:27,239 –> 00:08:31,260And then seventhly, he was oppressed.18300:08:31,260 –> 00:08:34,820He speaks about the oppression of the enemy.18400:08:34,820 –> 00:08:36,859Now, you put these seven together18500:08:36,859 –> 00:08:39,659and here you have a picture of a man18600:08:39,659 –> 00:08:42,460who is in real trouble.18700:08:42,460 –> 00:08:47,419He’s dry, he’s tearful, he’s downcast,18800:08:47,419 –> 00:08:50,559he’s in turmoil, he feels forgotten,18900:08:50,559 –> 00:08:55,460he’s mourning, and he is oppressed.19000:08:55,460 –> 00:08:58,260And these are the words of a man19100:08:58,260 –> 00:09:01,979who truly loved and served the Lord.19200:09:02,979 –> 00:09:05,500Now, you see, this raises a very important question.19300:09:05,500 –> 00:09:09,239Can it really be true that a faithful believer19400:09:09,239 –> 00:09:11,299can experience all of these things?19500:09:11,299 –> 00:09:13,500And the answer to that question from the scripture19600:09:13,500 –> 00:09:16,340very clearly is yes!19700:09:16,340 –> 00:09:18,780Even the strongest believers19800:09:18,780 –> 00:09:23,380may endure what David describes here.19900:09:23,380 –> 00:09:27,179Dr. Jim Pakkar in his marvelous book, Knowing God,20000:09:28,039 –> 00:09:33,039warns about the dangers of playing down the challenges20100:09:33,700 –> 00:09:36,280of the Christian life.20200:09:36,280 –> 00:09:39,580The danger of giving the impression that, and I quote,20300:09:39,580 –> 00:09:42,799for Christians problems should no longer exist.20400:09:42,799 –> 00:09:45,559Or if they come, they have only to be taken20500:09:45,559 –> 00:09:47,760to the throne of grace, and then immediately20600:09:47,760 –> 00:09:49,419they’re going to melt away.20700:09:49,419 –> 00:09:52,119Well, perhaps someone has spoken to you20800:09:52,119 –> 00:09:53,919in a way that gives you that impression.20900:09:53,919 –> 00:09:55,559Oh, just take it to the Lord in prayer.21000:09:55,580 –> 00:09:57,960No, if you pray about it, then it will all be fine.21100:09:57,960 –> 00:10:00,099And what you’ve found is that you have prayed about it21200:10:00,099 –> 00:10:02,340and you are still struggling.21300:10:02,340 –> 00:10:06,719That’s exactly where David was right here.21400:10:08,739 –> 00:10:10,419Now, these are the symptoms.21500:10:12,059 –> 00:10:12,900Why?21600:10:13,960 –> 00:10:15,460What was the cause?21700:10:16,520 –> 00:10:19,739What gave rise to these things21800:10:19,739 –> 00:10:21,479that David was experiencing?21900:10:22,799 –> 00:10:24,020You’re listening to Open the Bible22000:10:24,020 –> 00:10:25,760with Pastor Colin Smith.22100:10:25,760 –> 00:10:27,960And we have to pause the message very briefly there,22200:10:27,960 –> 00:10:29,119but we’ll be back shortly.22300:10:29,119 –> 00:10:30,919So stay with us if you can.22400:10:30,919 –> 00:10:33,380The message is called Hope in God.22500:10:33,380 –> 00:10:36,119Part of our longer series, Grow in Hope22600:10:36,119 –> 00:10:37,960and if you ever miss one of the series,22700:10:37,960 –> 00:10:41,580it’s very easy to catch up or go back and listen again22800:10:41,580 –> 00:10:43,640by coming online to our website,22900:10:43,640 –> 00:10:46,280OpenTheBible.org.uk23000:10:46,280 –> 00:10:47,960or you can find us as a podcast23100:10:47,960 –> 00:10:49,440on all the main podcast sites23200:10:49,440 –> 00:10:52,299by searching for Open The Bible UK.23300:10:53,179 –> 00:10:54,919While you’re on our website,23400:10:54,919 –> 00:10:57,520don’t forget we also have Open The Bible Daily23500:10:57,520 –> 00:10:59,859and that’s a series of two to three minute23600:10:59,859 –> 00:11:03,039reflection pieces based on Pastor Colin’s teaching23700:11:03,039 –> 00:11:05,380and read specially in the UK.23800:11:05,380 –> 00:11:07,080There’s a fresh one every day23900:11:07,080 –> 00:11:08,979and many Christians start their day24000:11:08,979 –> 00:11:10,580with Open The Bible Daily.24100:11:10,580 –> 00:11:13,619Again, that’s on our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk24200:11:13,619 –> 00:11:16,739and you can also get it as a podcast.24300:11:16,739 –> 00:11:18,820So search for Open The Bible UK24400:11:18,820 –> 00:11:21,059on your favorite podcast site.24500:11:21,479 –> 00:11:25,020We’re in Psalm 42, here again is Pastor Colin.24600:11:26,140 –> 00:11:28,679Now, the Psalm makes it pretty clear24700:11:28,679 –> 00:11:33,679that first, he was in a very hostile environment.24800:11:34,679 –> 00:11:38,179Look at verse three and then at verse 10.24900:11:38,179 –> 00:11:43,179Verse three, my tears have been my food day and night,25000:11:44,000 –> 00:11:49,000while they say to me all the day long, where is your God?25100:11:49,979 –> 00:11:52,919And then it’s almost repeated in verse 10.25200:11:52,919 –> 00:11:55,080My adversaries taunt me,25300:11:56,020 –> 00:12:01,020while they say to me all the day long, where is your God?25400:12:01,880 –> 00:12:06,880There were some people who had it in for David.25500:12:07,200 –> 00:12:11,919He describes them as adversaries, enemies.25600:12:11,919 –> 00:12:13,440And they taunted him.25700:12:14,599 –> 00:12:17,200Where is your God?25800:12:17,239 –> 00:12:19,979And notice that he lives with the taunts25900:12:19,979 –> 00:12:23,559of these adversaries all the day long.26000:12:23,559 –> 00:12:28,320It’s like it never stops, they never relent.26100:12:28,320 –> 00:12:30,820And over time, David’s experience26200:12:30,820 –> 00:12:33,200is that it just wears him down.26300:12:34,679 –> 00:12:37,640Now, maybe you have experienced this in your own life,26400:12:37,640 –> 00:12:42,640the erosive effects of a hostile culture over time.26500:12:42,919 –> 00:12:45,080The opposition you face in one way or another26600:12:45,080 –> 00:12:47,239perhaps has become quite relentless.26700:12:47,239 –> 00:12:50,799You’re just bombarded by hostility and opposition.26800:12:50,799 –> 00:12:52,640Everything that you put forward,26900:12:52,640 –> 00:12:54,900push back, push back, push back.27000:12:54,900 –> 00:12:57,239And over time, it takes its toll.27100:12:57,239 –> 00:13:01,039And eventually, your soul begins to feel dried out,27200:13:01,039 –> 00:13:04,020downcast, and you have the stomach churning27300:13:04,020 –> 00:13:05,340and you are in turmoil.27400:13:05,340 –> 00:13:08,799That’s exactly what David is describing here.27500:13:10,979 –> 00:13:12,460And Jesus has been there.27600:13:13,340 –> 00:13:18,340Consider the hostility he endured from sinful men.27700:13:21,640 –> 00:13:26,320He endured taunting and saved others.27800:13:26,320 –> 00:13:29,280He cannot save himself.27900:13:29,280 –> 00:13:30,960He trusted in God.28000:13:30,960 –> 00:13:34,239Let God deliver him if he wants him.28100:13:36,760 –> 00:13:41,760David endured over time the arrival,28200:13:42,619 –> 00:13:46,119grossive effect of a hostile culture.28300:13:47,419 –> 00:13:52,419And on top of that, he had experienced very great loss.28400:13:52,719 –> 00:13:54,460Now look at verse four.28500:13:54,460 –> 00:13:59,460These things I remember, as I pour out my soul,28600:13:59,559 –> 00:14:02,440how I would go with the throng28700:14:02,440 –> 00:14:05,859and lead them in procession to the house of God28800:14:05,859 –> 00:14:09,539with glad shouts and songs of praise.28900:14:10,539 –> 00:14:13,380Now he’s describing what he used to do,29000:14:14,239 –> 00:14:17,739but the point here is that he is not doing it now.29100:14:18,780 –> 00:14:20,000The great festivals,29200:14:20,000 –> 00:14:21,080these you’re referring to,29300:14:21,080 –> 00:14:23,979the crowds of people rejoicing and praising God,29400:14:23,979 –> 00:14:26,140they all took place in Jerusalem.29500:14:26,140 –> 00:14:28,599And notice that David is not in Jerusalem29600:14:28,599 –> 00:14:30,020when he writes this Psalm.29700:14:30,020 –> 00:14:31,460In verse six he says,29800:14:31,460 –> 00:14:34,580I remember you from the land of Jordan29900:14:35,140 –> 00:14:40,140and of Herman miles from Jerusalem.30000:14:42,460 –> 00:14:46,940Now, why he was there, we don’t know.30100:14:46,940 –> 00:14:50,979But what’s clear is that he is no longer in the place30200:14:50,979 –> 00:14:54,820where he’s able to do what he loved doing.30300:14:54,820 –> 00:14:58,739He has lost a cherished role30400:14:59,539 –> 00:15:03,700and joys that used to be his30500:15:03,700 –> 00:15:06,099are simply his no longer.30600:15:07,979 –> 00:15:12,419Now, it’s not easy when you no longer get to do30700:15:12,419 –> 00:15:15,599what has been perhaps for a long time,30800:15:15,599 –> 00:15:19,659a joy and a blessing in your own life.30900:15:19,659 –> 00:15:24,659And I’m thinking, for example, of mothers who may say,31000:15:25,559 –> 00:15:30,080this is the last summer before my son or my daughter31100:15:30,080 –> 00:15:31,840goes off to college,31200:15:33,239 –> 00:15:37,500and my whole life has circled around raising these children,31300:15:37,500 –> 00:15:40,739what in the world am I now going to do?31400:15:42,299 –> 00:15:43,940We live in a changing world,31500:15:46,099 –> 00:15:49,659and we need the help of the unchanging God.31600:15:52,000 –> 00:15:54,020And you know, Jesus has been there too,31700:15:55,179 –> 00:15:58,640and for three years he enjoyed all the blessings31800:15:58,640 –> 00:16:00,900of the most marvelous ministry.31900:16:02,840 –> 00:16:07,840My food, he said, is to do the will of him who sent me.32000:16:08,080 –> 00:16:11,039In other words, Jesus found the very engagement32100:16:11,039 –> 00:16:13,359in ministry that he was given32200:16:13,359 –> 00:16:15,099to be nourishing to his own soul.32300:16:15,099 –> 00:16:17,599It’s a joy, it’s a blessing, it’s a delight,32400:16:17,599 –> 00:16:19,099and then it’s all taken away.32500:16:20,099 –> 00:16:22,559The disciples abandoned him.32600:16:22,559 –> 00:16:24,799He’s surrounded by darkness.32700:16:24,799 –> 00:16:27,260He goes into the garden of Gethsemane32800:16:27,260 –> 00:16:32,119and he says, my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow.32900:16:33,559 –> 00:16:37,440But the biggest problem on top of all that33000:16:38,760 –> 00:16:43,400was the felt distance of God.33100:16:43,400 –> 00:16:46,799Notice what David says at the beginning of the Psalm.33200:16:46,820 –> 00:16:49,400As a deer pants for flowing streams,33300:16:49,400 –> 00:16:53,599so my soul pants for you, oh God.33400:16:53,599 –> 00:16:58,419My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.33500:16:58,419 –> 00:17:01,719When shall I come and appear before God?33600:17:02,919 –> 00:17:06,760See, David could face a hostile environment,33700:17:06,760 –> 00:17:08,319difficult though that was,33800:17:09,380 –> 00:17:12,439David could endure even the loss33900:17:12,439 –> 00:17:16,439of a cherished role that he had loved.34000:17:16,479 –> 00:17:20,599He could do these things if he felt that God was near.34100:17:22,180 –> 00:17:24,180But you see, the problem here is34200:17:24,180 –> 00:17:27,000that God felt far away from David34300:17:27,000 –> 00:17:28,319just at the very moment34400:17:28,319 –> 00:17:30,920where David felt he needed the Lord the most.34500:17:33,959 –> 00:17:37,079There was a priest in the 16th century34600:17:37,079 –> 00:17:39,719known as John of the Cross34700:17:40,640 –> 00:17:44,640and he coined a phrase34800:17:44,920 –> 00:17:48,319that describes what David was enduring here.34900:17:48,319 –> 00:17:53,199He called it The Dark Night of the Soul.35000:17:54,760 –> 00:17:56,920Isaiah knew what this was like.35100:17:56,920 –> 00:18:00,939He says in Isaiah 45 and verse 15 to the Lord,35200:18:00,939 –> 00:18:05,939truly you are a God who hides himself.35300:18:07,800 –> 00:18:08,979You know that experience,35400:18:08,979 –> 00:18:11,640the feeling that you’re just seeking God,35500:18:11,640 –> 00:18:12,640you need his help35600:18:12,640 –> 00:18:14,859and you feel like he’s hiding from you?35700:18:17,000 –> 00:18:20,979Now, can this really be the experience of a Godly person?35800:18:22,619 –> 00:18:25,020Well, remember this was the experience35900:18:25,020 –> 00:18:27,060of our Lord Jesus himself.36000:18:27,060 –> 00:18:29,400Jesus knew what it was36100:18:29,400 –> 00:18:32,579to feel that the Father was far away36200:18:32,579 –> 00:18:35,819just when he needed him the most.36300:18:37,520 –> 00:18:39,339My God, my God,36400:18:40,260 –> 00:18:43,819why have you forsaken me?36500:18:46,459 –> 00:18:49,459Now, this Psalm really helps us.36600:18:49,459 –> 00:18:54,459It helps us not only by describing the darker experiences36700:18:55,099 –> 00:18:59,260that may come to a Christian in the course of life.36800:18:59,260 –> 00:19:02,680Some of the harder things that we may endure36900:19:02,680 –> 00:19:04,819in following after Christ,37000:19:04,819 –> 00:19:08,579but it also identifies not only the experience37100:19:08,579 –> 00:19:13,579but the cause that may lie behind these experiences.37200:19:14,219 –> 00:19:17,420The erosive effects of a hostile culture,37300:19:17,420 –> 00:19:21,699the loss of a cherished role in life and in ministry,37400:19:21,699 –> 00:19:24,420the feeling that God is far away37500:19:24,420 –> 00:19:29,060at the very time when you feel you need him the most.37600:19:30,160 –> 00:19:32,640These were the experiences of David.37700:19:33,739 –> 00:19:36,640These were the experiences of Jesus,37800:19:37,500 –> 00:19:41,699and there may be times when they are your experience too.37900:19:43,079 –> 00:19:45,760But what I want us to see today38000:19:45,760 –> 00:19:49,959is that despite all that David was enduring,38100:19:49,959 –> 00:19:53,160he was moved by the Holy Spirit38200:19:53,160 –> 00:19:57,400to write a psalm that focuses on hope.38300:19:57,400 –> 00:19:58,920That’s what the psalm is about.38400:19:58,920 –> 00:20:00,400At the very center of it,38500:20:00,400 –> 00:20:03,439repeated three times as we have seen,38600:20:03,439 –> 00:20:06,540hope in God, verse five,38700:20:06,540 –> 00:20:09,880hope in God, verse 11,38800:20:09,880 –> 00:20:13,280hope in God, Psalm 43,38900:20:13,280 –> 00:20:14,540and verse five.39000:20:15,839 –> 00:20:19,060Now, the aim of this series over these next weeks39100:20:19,060 –> 00:20:21,520is that we will grow in hope.39200:20:21,520 –> 00:20:23,719I want to be very practical,39300:20:23,719 –> 00:20:28,719and so I want us to see four strategies from this psalm39400:20:29,119 –> 00:20:32,099as to how we can grow in hope.39500:20:33,540 –> 00:20:35,619The first of these,39600:20:35,619 –> 00:20:38,479is to speak honestly to God.39700:20:38,479 –> 00:20:41,380Now, you see how that’s what David does here.39800:20:41,380 –> 00:20:42,760Look at verse nine.39900:20:42,760 –> 00:20:46,040I say to God,40000:20:46,040 –> 00:20:47,800my rock,40100:20:47,800 –> 00:20:50,079why have you forgotten me?40200:20:50,079 –> 00:20:52,239Why do I go mourning?40300:20:52,239 –> 00:20:55,760Because of the oppression of the enemy.40400:20:55,760 –> 00:20:57,319Now, notice,40500:20:57,319 –> 00:20:59,719that he says these things to God.40600:21:00,579 –> 00:21:05,579You don’t need to feel close to God40700:21:06,239 –> 00:21:07,859in order to pray.40800:21:09,760 –> 00:21:12,579You can pray, as David does here,40900:21:12,579 –> 00:21:16,119even when you feel that God has forgotten you.41000:21:17,719 –> 00:21:20,660You can pray to God when you feel far from him.41100:21:21,859 –> 00:21:24,760You can pray to God when you don’t feel like praying.41200:21:26,040 –> 00:21:29,199You can tell him that you feel forgotten.41300:21:29,199 –> 00:21:31,660You can tell him that you feel oppressed.41400:21:32,520 –> 00:21:35,239You can tell him that you feel absolutely completely41500:21:35,239 –> 00:21:37,479and utterly dried out.41600:21:38,420 –> 00:21:40,839You can tell him that your stomach is churning41700:21:40,839 –> 00:21:43,160and that you are in turmoil.41800:21:44,459 –> 00:21:47,979That’s what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.41900:21:49,520 –> 00:21:53,979My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow and he says it42000:21:54,959 –> 00:21:55,800to the Father.42100:21:56,459 –> 00:21:59,520We’ve got to end today’s broadcast there42200:21:59,520 –> 00:22:02,119but you can hear the second part of the message42300:22:02,119 –> 00:22:04,680Hope in God in our next broadcast.42400:22:04,680 –> 00:22:05,959I hope you will join us for that.42500:22:05,959 –> 00:22:08,239You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith42600:22:08,239 –> 00:22:10,239on Open the Bible, and the first message42700:22:10,239 –> 00:22:13,060in our series, Grow In Hope.42800:22:13,060 –> 00:22:15,319If you ever miss one of the messages in the series42900:22:15,319 –> 00:22:17,119or if you want to go back and listen again,43000:22:17,119 –> 00:22:20,260you can do that at any time by coming to our website,43100:22:20,260 –> 00:22:23,280that’s at openthebible.org.uk.43200:22:23,280 –> 00:22:25,319You can also find them as a podcast43300:22:25,420 –> 00:22:27,560and those are on all the main podcast sites,43400:22:27,560 –> 00:22:30,040just search for Open The Bible UK43500:22:30,040 –> 00:22:33,839and subscribe if you want to receive regular updates.43600:22:33,839 –> 00:22:36,540Just a reminder that we love hearing from our listeners43700:22:36,540 –> 00:22:39,959so if you’d like to get in touch this is how you can do it.43800:22:39,959 –> 00:22:42,800You can write to us at Open The Bible,43900:22:42,800 –> 00:22:47,500PO Box 1420, Cheltenham, GL 50, 9PG44000:22:49,699 –> 00:22:52,599Again that address is Open The Bible,44100:22:52,599 –> 00:22:57,599PO Box 1420, Cheltenham, GL 50, 9PG44200:22:59,459 –> 00:23:01,760And of course you can find full contact details44300:23:01,760 –> 00:23:05,760on our website OpenTheBible.org.uk44400:23:05,760 –> 00:23:08,359Open The Bible is supported by our listeners.44500:23:08,359 –> 00:23:10,959We’re able to bring you Pastor Colin’s teaching44600:23:10,959 –> 00:23:13,780on the radio, internet and podcasts44700:23:13,780 –> 00:23:17,060as a result of the generosity of listeners like you.44800:23:17,060 –> 00:23:19,640So if you already give to support our work,44900:23:19,680 –> 00:23:22,839thank you so much, we do appreciate it.45000:23:22,839 –> 00:23:25,199This month when you begin to support Open The Bible45100:23:25,199 –> 00:23:26,300for the first time,45200:23:26,300 –> 00:23:27,819we’d love to say thank you45300:23:27,819 –> 00:23:30,839by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s brand new book,45400:23:30,839 –> 00:23:32,079Grow in Faith.45500:23:32,079 –> 00:23:35,040This devotional book is not yet available in the UK.45600:23:35,040 –> 00:23:37,800So our offer is very exclusive.45700:23:37,800 –> 00:23:39,239Colin, what is the one thing45800:23:39,239 –> 00:23:41,719that you want people to take away from this book?45900:23:41,719 –> 00:23:44,280Well this is a book for ordinary Christians,46000:23:44,280 –> 00:23:45,959and you talk about growing faith.46100:23:45,959 –> 00:23:47,680Someone might think, well you know,46200:23:47,680 –> 00:23:49,239I’m no giant of the faith,46300:23:49,479 –> 00:23:51,060so that’s probably not for me.46400:23:51,060 –> 00:23:54,839Well, you know, Jesus spoke on five occasions46500:23:54,839 –> 00:23:57,119about people with little faith,46600:23:57,119 –> 00:23:59,319O you of little faith,46700:23:59,319 –> 00:24:03,400and that’s where we start in this book, Grow in Faith.46800:24:03,400 –> 00:24:05,800If you feel that your faith is small,46900:24:05,800 –> 00:24:08,280this is exactly for you.47000:24:08,280 –> 00:24:11,260It’s a place from which you can begin to grow.47100:24:11,260 –> 00:24:13,359And you know, there are two wonderful things47200:24:13,359 –> 00:24:15,359about little faith.47300:24:15,359 –> 00:24:20,020One is that little faith is saving faith47400:24:20,020 –> 00:24:22,839if it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.47500:24:22,839 –> 00:24:25,000And the other is that little faith,47600:24:25,000 –> 00:24:27,040because faith is a living thing,47700:24:27,040 –> 00:24:28,599is faith that really can grow.47800:24:28,599 –> 00:24:31,400And I think that this book will help people47900:24:31,400 –> 00:24:32,859to grow in faith.48000:24:32,859 –> 00:24:34,359That’s our hope and our prayer48100:24:34,359 –> 00:24:36,920as we’ve been working on it and preparing it,48200:24:36,920 –> 00:24:40,079and I hope that it’s going to be a real blessing to you.48300:24:40,079 –> 00:24:42,359Well, Pastor Collins’ book Grow in Faith48400:24:42,359 –> 00:24:44,979is our special offer to you this month48500:24:45,000 –> 00:24:47,099when you support Open the Bible financially48600:24:47,099 –> 00:24:49,339for the first time with a one off gift48700:24:49,339 –> 00:24:53,160of £60 or more or a monthly direct debit48800:24:53,160 –> 00:24:56,000of £5 per month or more.48900:24:56,000 –> 00:24:58,300Full terms and conditions are on our website,49000:24:58,300 –> 00:25:01,939that’s at openthebible.org.uk,49100:25:01,939 –> 00:25:03,500and you can give online.49200:25:03,500 –> 00:25:06,540Please do remember to leave your full name and address49300:25:06,540 –> 00:25:07,900when you set up your payment49400:25:07,900 –> 00:25:10,780so we can send you your free gift.49500:25:10,780 –> 00:25:13,140For Open the Bible and Pastor Collins Smith,49600:25:13,140 –> 00:25:14,300I’m David Pick,49700:25:14,300 –> 00:25:16,060and I look forward to you joining us again49800:25:16,060 –> 00:25:17,939next time on Open the Bible.49900:25:22,739 –> 00:25:25,459You’re feeling dry and far from God.50000:25:25,459 –> 00:25:27,599How can you grow your hope?50100:25:27,599 –> 00:25:29,819Find out next time on Open the Bible.