100:00:00,140 –> 00:00:06,720The erosive effects of a hostile culture.200:00:06,720 –> 00:00:11,140The loss of a cherished role in life and in ministry.300:00:11,140 –> 00:00:19,360The feeling that God is far away at the very time when you feel you need him the most.400:00:19,360 –> 00:00:22,799These were the experiences of David.500:00:22,799 –> 00:00:26,340These were the experiences of Jesus.600:00:26,340 –> 00:00:31,020And there may be times when they are your experience, too.700:00:31,020 –> 00:00:33,520Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:33,520 –> 00:00:34,680I’m David Pick.900:00:34,680 –> 00:00:36,200Glad you could join us today.1000:00:36,200 –> 00:00:40,040And Colin, there may be listeners who are experiencing this right now.1100:00:40,040 –> 00:00:46,180So, how does knowing that David, or knowing that Jesus experienced this, help them?1200:00:46,180 –> 00:00:53,799Well, first, just the very obvious fact that it’s not unusual if the perfect son of God1300:00:53,840 –> 00:01:00,139should have experienced things like this, then we should not be surprised if we do as well.1400:01:00,139 –> 00:01:05,480And then this is not the end, it’s not terminal, that these are experiences in the Christian1500:01:05,480 –> 00:01:12,779life and those who’ve gone before us and our Lord Himself has overcome in these experiences.1600:01:12,779 –> 00:01:18,040And therefore, when you feel that God is far away from you, when you feel that the bottom1700:01:18,099 –> 00:01:24,480has fallen out of your world, there is hope, there is something beyond this.1800:01:24,480 –> 00:01:29,660And you can trust God even here and that’s the beauty of the psalm that we’re looking1900:01:29,660 –> 00:01:30,660at.2000:01:30,660 –> 00:01:36,220We’re going to see how David found his way back to hope at a time when despair seemed2100:01:36,220 –> 00:01:37,620to be knocking at his door.2200:01:37,620 –> 00:01:43,019So, join us in Psalm 42 today, if you can, as we continue the message, Hope in God.2300:01:43,019 –> 00:01:44,540Here is Pastor Colin.2400:01:44,540 –> 00:01:54,080We live in a changing world, and we need the help of the unchanging God.2500:01:54,080 –> 00:01:56,220And Jesus has been there too.2600:01:56,220 –> 00:02:03,500For three years He enjoyed all the blessings of the most marvelous ministry.2700:02:03,500 –> 00:02:09,699My food, He said, is to do the will of Him who sent me.2800:02:09,699 –> 00:02:13,979In other words, Jesus found the very engagement in ministry2900:02:13,979 –> 00:02:16,979that he was given to be nourishing to his own soul.3000:02:16,979 –> 00:02:22,619It’s a joy, it’s a blessing, it’s a delight, and then it’s all taken away.3100:02:22,619 –> 00:02:25,259The disciples abandoned him.3200:02:25,259 –> 00:02:26,699He’s surrounded by darkness.3300:02:26,699 –> 00:02:29,240He goes into the Garden of Gethsemane and he says,3400:02:29,240 –> 00:02:35,020My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow.3500:02:35,020 –> 00:02:45,339But the biggest problem, on top of all that, was the felt distance of God.3600:02:45,339 –> 00:02:47,660Notice what David says at the beginning of the psalm,3700:02:47,660 –> 00:02:54,339As a deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for you, O God.3800:02:54,339 –> 00:02:59,059My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.3900:02:59,059 –> 00:03:03,479When shall I come and appear before God?4000:03:03,479 –> 00:03:09,820David could face a hostile environment, difficult though that was.4100:03:09,820 –> 00:03:16,880David could endure, even, the loss of a cherished role that he had loved.4200:03:16,880 –> 00:03:22,600He could do these things if he felt that God was near.4300:03:22,600 –> 00:03:27,080But you see, the problem here is that God felt far away from David,4400:03:27,240 –> 00:03:30,360just at the very moment where David felt he needed the Lord the most.4500:03:33,639 –> 00:03:40,399There was a priest in the 16th century known as John of the Cross,4600:03:40,399 –> 00:03:48,119and he coined a phrase that describes what David was enduring here.4700:03:48,119 –> 00:03:54,300He called it the dark night of the soul.4800:03:54,300 –> 00:03:56,360Isaiah knew what this was like.4900:03:56,360 –> 00:03:59,500He says in Isaiah 45 in verse 15,5000:03:59,500 –> 00:04:00,059to the Lord,5100:04:07,020 –> 00:04:10,740You know that experience of feeling that you’re just seeking God,5200:04:10,740 –> 00:04:11,779you need his help,5300:04:11,779 –> 00:04:16,059and you feel like he’s hiding from you.5400:04:16,059 –> 00:04:21,619Now, can this really be the experience of a godly person?5500:04:21,660 –> 00:04:24,660Well, remember, this was the experience of our Lord,5600:04:24,660 –> 00:04:25,959Jesus himself.5700:04:25,959 –> 00:04:31,279Jesus knew what it was to feel that the Father was far away5800:04:31,279 –> 00:04:36,239just when he needed him the most.5900:04:36,239 –> 00:04:42,220My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?6000:04:45,019 –> 00:04:47,940Now, this psalm really helps us.6100:04:47,940 –> 00:04:49,179It helps us not only6200:04:49,179 –> 00:04:54,660by describing the darker experiences that may come6300:04:54,660 –> 00:04:57,559to a Christian in the course of life,6400:04:57,559 –> 00:05:00,799some of the harder things that we may endure6500:05:00,799 –> 00:05:03,019in following after Christ.6600:05:03,019 –> 00:05:06,700But it also identifies not only the experience,6700:05:06,700 –> 00:05:12,239but the cause that may lie behind these experiences.6800:05:12,239 –> 00:05:15,339The erosive effects of a hostile culture,6900:05:15,399 –> 00:05:19,579the loss of a cherished role in life and in ministry,7000:05:19,579 –> 00:05:23,579the feeling that God is far away at the very time7100:05:23,579 –> 00:05:27,859when you feel you need Him the most.7200:05:27,859 –> 00:05:31,380These were the experiences of David.7300:05:31,380 –> 00:05:35,059These were the experiences of Jesus.7400:05:35,059 –> 00:05:40,540And there may be times when they are your experience too.7500:05:40,540 –> 00:05:43,200But what I want us to see today7600:05:43,200 –> 00:05:47,359is that despite all that David was enduring,7700:05:47,359 –> 00:05:50,359he was moved by the Holy Spirit7800:05:50,359 –> 00:05:54,519to write a Psalm that focuses on hope.7900:05:54,519 –> 00:05:56,040That’s what this psalm is about.8000:05:56,040 –> 00:05:57,440At the very centre of it,8100:05:57,440 –> 00:06:00,540repeated three times as we have seen.8200:06:00,540 –> 00:06:03,559Hope in God, verse five.8300:06:03,559 –> 00:06:06,799Hope in God, verse 11.8400:06:06,799 –> 00:06:12,660Hope in God, Psalm 43 and verse five.8500:06:12,660 –> 00:06:15,820Now the aim of this series over these next weeks8600:06:15,820 –> 00:06:18,239is that we will grow in hope.8700:06:18,239 –> 00:06:20,459I want to be very practical.8800:06:20,459 –> 00:06:25,459And so I want us to see four strategies from the Psalm8900:06:25,700 –> 00:06:28,519as to how we can grow in hope.9000:06:29,899 –> 00:06:34,559The first of these is to speak honestly to God.9100:06:34,559 –> 00:06:37,619And you see how that’s what David does here,9200:06:37,619 –> 00:06:38,940look at verse nine.9300:06:38,940 –> 00:06:42,179I say to God,9400:06:42,179 –> 00:06:46,140my rock, why have you forgotten me?9500:06:46,140 –> 00:06:48,279Why do I go mourning?9600:06:48,279 –> 00:06:51,700Because of the oppression of the enemy.9700:06:51,700 –> 00:06:55,660And notice that he says these things to God.9800:06:57,859 –> 00:07:02,859You don’t need to feel close to God in order to pray.9900:07:05,459 –> 00:07:08,179You can pray as David does here10000:07:08,179 –> 00:07:11,679even when you feel that God has forgotten you.10100:07:13,179 –> 00:07:16,040You can pray to God when you feel far from Him.10200:07:17,239 –> 00:07:20,079You can pray to God when you don’t feel like praying.10300:07:21,299 –> 00:07:24,420You can tell him that you feel forgotten.10400:07:24,420 –> 00:07:27,660You can tell him that you feel oppressed.10500:07:27,660 –> 00:07:29,779You can tell him that you feel absolutely,10600:07:29,779 –> 00:07:32,399completely and utterly dried out.10700:07:33,480 –> 00:07:35,820You can tell him that your stomach is churning10800:07:35,820 –> 00:07:38,179and that you are in turmoil.10900:07:39,059 –> 00:07:42,519That’s what Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane.11000:07:43,940 –> 00:07:47,220My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow11100:07:47,220 –> 00:07:50,179and he says it to the Father.11200:07:51,540 –> 00:07:55,899The presence of God is one place11300:07:55,899 –> 00:08:00,579where you can be absolutely safe in being yourself.11400:08:01,640 –> 00:08:04,859There is nothing that you can tell him11500:08:04,859 –> 00:08:06,440that he doesn’t know already.11600:08:08,380 –> 00:08:09,899He knows you completely.11700:08:11,100 –> 00:08:13,500And therefore there is a freedom11800:08:13,500 –> 00:08:17,019that you have to come and to speak to God11900:08:17,019 –> 00:08:18,959in every circumstance.12000:08:18,959 –> 00:08:20,980And that’s the first thing that David does here.12100:08:20,980 –> 00:08:22,320That’s what the psalm is.12200:08:22,320 –> 00:08:23,160It’s a prayer.12300:08:23,160 –> 00:08:26,839It’s a pouring out of his soul in the presence of God.12400:08:28,540 –> 00:08:31,299That’s the first thing but it’s not the only thing.12500:08:31,299 –> 00:08:34,900Second, challenge yourself.12600:08:34,900 –> 00:08:36,419If you’re going to grow in hope,12700:08:36,460 –> 00:08:38,419you need to speak honestly to God12800:08:38,419 –> 00:08:40,020and if you’re gonna grow in hope,12900:08:40,020 –> 00:08:44,159you really need to challenge yourself.13000:08:44,159 –> 00:08:45,719Look again at verse five.13100:08:45,719 –> 00:08:48,640Why are you cast down, O my soul?13200:08:48,640 –> 00:08:52,780And why are you in turmoil within me?13300:08:52,780 –> 00:08:54,479Now, notice that in this verse,13400:08:54,479 –> 00:08:56,619David is not speaking to God.13500:08:56,619 –> 00:08:58,559He’s speaking to himself.13600:08:59,559 –> 00:09:02,260He is addressing his own soul.13700:09:02,380 –> 00:09:06,900Why are you cast down, O my soul?13800:09:08,640 –> 00:09:12,099Now, it’s very important to learn to do this.13900:09:12,099 –> 00:09:14,840Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who writes so helpfully on this14000:09:14,840 –> 00:09:17,979from Psalm 42, asks this question.14100:09:17,979 –> 00:09:23,859Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life14200:09:23,859 –> 00:09:27,020is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself14300:09:27,020 –> 00:09:29,020rather than talking to yourself?14400:09:30,359 –> 00:09:32,179Most of your unhappiness comes from this.14500:09:32,859 –> 00:09:36,440He says you listen to all the thoughts and the fears,14600:09:36,440 –> 00:09:38,820all the questions and doubts,14700:09:38,820 –> 00:09:42,380all the forebodings that rise up from within your own soul,14800:09:42,380 –> 00:09:46,359you listen to all that, but you don’t talk to yourself.14900:09:46,359 –> 00:09:49,440You’re listening to yourself, but not talking to yourself.15000:09:50,640 –> 00:09:52,520So understand this.15100:09:52,520 –> 00:09:57,520That your soul will throw up all kinds of fears.15200:09:58,140 –> 00:10:00,440There will be times when you feel dried-out15300:10:00,559 –> 00:10:02,539and down-cast and forgotten.15400:10:02,539 –> 00:10:05,880What are you to do when these times come?15500:10:05,880 –> 00:10:08,520Well, you do what David does here.15600:10:08,520 –> 00:10:13,359He takes himself in hand and he challenges himself.15700:10:13,359 –> 00:10:15,599He scolds himself.15800:10:15,599 –> 00:10:16,539If I could put it this way,15900:10:16,539 –> 00:10:19,380he gives himself a good talking to.16000:10:21,159 –> 00:10:24,400And this psalm gives us a marvelous model16100:10:24,400 –> 00:10:26,200of how to do this.16200:10:26,200 –> 00:10:28,859How to reason with yourself.16300:10:29,859 –> 00:10:31,539Spurgeon makes this comment,16400:10:31,539 –> 00:10:36,039David’s faith reasons with his fears16500:10:36,039 –> 00:10:40,000and his hope argues with his sorrows.16600:10:41,219 –> 00:10:45,619Again, Lloyd-Jones says this self of ours16700:10:45,619 –> 00:10:47,619has got to be handled.16800:10:48,940 –> 00:10:52,059Don’t listen to him, Lloyd-Jones says,16900:10:52,059 –> 00:10:53,619turn on him.17000:10:53,619 –> 00:10:55,280Speak to him.17100:10:55,280 –> 00:10:58,299Condemn him, uprate him, exhaust him,17200:10:58,419 –> 00:11:01,780encourage him, remind him of what you know17300:11:01,780 –> 00:11:04,859instead of placidly listening to him17400:11:04,859 –> 00:11:06,940and allowing him to drag you down.17500:11:08,580 –> 00:11:10,359Now, I wonder if you’ve experienced that?17600:11:10,359 –> 00:11:13,559You listen sometimes to all the thoughts17700:11:13,559 –> 00:11:16,340and all the fears and all the forebodings17800:11:16,340 –> 00:11:17,859that are coming up from within,17900:11:17,859 –> 00:11:19,739how am I going to manage this?18000:11:19,739 –> 00:11:21,799And what happens is because you’re listening18100:11:21,799 –> 00:11:25,059to all this stuff that’s coming up from your soul,18200:11:26,059 –> 00:11:28,099it’s dragging you down.18300:11:30,200 –> 00:11:32,859And Dr. Lloyd-Jones is saying,18400:11:32,859 –> 00:11:37,739instead of placidly listening to all of that stuff,18500:11:37,739 –> 00:11:38,580here’s what you do.18600:11:38,580 –> 00:11:43,080You tell it to God and then you challenge yourself.18700:11:43,080 –> 00:11:44,520That’s what David does here.18800:11:45,440 –> 00:11:48,780Now, why are you cast down, O my soul?18900:11:48,780 –> 00:11:52,340Why are you so in turmoil?19000:11:52,659 –> 00:11:55,440Disturbed within me.19100:11:56,859 –> 00:11:59,340Put your hope in God.19200:12:00,719 –> 00:12:02,179He’s challenging himself.19300:12:05,200 –> 00:12:08,840Now, notice how he does this.19400:12:08,840 –> 00:12:10,739It takes us to the third strategy.19500:12:11,840 –> 00:12:16,840Affirm what you know to be true, hope in God.19600:12:17,239 –> 00:12:21,840Hope in God.19700:12:21,840 –> 00:12:26,840Now, this is what David says to his dried-out, tearful,19800:12:27,280 –> 00:12:30,640downcast, turmoiled, forgotten19900:12:30,640 –> 00:12:33,859mourning and oppressed self.20000:12:34,640 –> 00:12:38,039He takes his self in hand20100:12:38,039 –> 00:12:43,039and he says to himself, hope in God.20200:12:44,859 –> 00:12:46,119There’s hope for you.20300:12:46,539 –> 00:12:51,280And the hope for you is in God himself.20400:12:52,419 –> 00:12:54,539The apostle Paul says exactly the same thing20500:12:54,539 –> 00:12:58,880in the New Testament in 1 Timothy 4.10.20600:12:58,880 –> 00:13:01,900He says we toil and strive20700:13:01,900 –> 00:13:04,780and what energizes us to keep toiling20800:13:04,780 –> 00:13:05,820and keep striving?20900:13:05,820 –> 00:13:07,099Well, this is the reason.21000:13:07,099 –> 00:13:11,460We toil and strive because we have set our hope21100:13:11,460 –> 00:13:12,919on the living God.21200:13:14,159 –> 00:13:15,780We have hope.21300:13:15,859 –> 00:13:16,900In the living God.21400:13:18,080 –> 00:13:20,340And that’s what gives us the energy to keep going21500:13:20,340 –> 00:13:24,960and to continue to toil and continue to strive.21600:13:26,299 –> 00:13:31,299Don’t let the darkness around you dictate the conversation.21700:13:33,520 –> 00:13:34,840Hope in God.21800:13:36,099 –> 00:13:39,520Who he is, what he has done, what he will do.21900:13:39,520 –> 00:13:41,900David keeps reminding himself,22000:13:41,900 –> 00:13:44,179almost drip feeding throughout this psalm22100:13:44,179 –> 00:13:46,539while all of these fears are coming up.22200:13:46,539 –> 00:13:50,599their being answered by what he says in regards to God.22300:13:50,599 –> 00:13:53,500He’s the living God, verse two.22400:13:53,500 –> 00:13:56,859He’s the God of my life, verse eight.22500:13:56,859 –> 00:13:59,960He’s my rock, verse eight.22600:13:59,960 –> 00:14:02,340He’s my God and my salvation22700:14:03,739 –> 00:14:06,479verses five and verse 11.22800:14:07,700 –> 00:14:08,919You’re listening to Open The Bible22900:14:08,919 –> 00:14:10,140with pastor Colin Smith.23000:14:10,140 –> 00:14:11,780We’ve got to pause very briefly there23100:14:11,780 –> 00:14:13,260but we’ll be back very shortly.23200:14:13,440 –> 00:14:14,559You’ve been asking about that whole idea23300:14:14,559 –> 00:14:17,000of hope and you have had a part of it.23400:14:17,000 –> 00:14:18,419Passion helped me write that,23500:14:18,419 –> 00:14:20,659and now I’m going to share it with you.23600:14:20,659 –> 00:14:22,659So do stay with us.23700:14:22,659 –> 00:14:25,460We’ve been hearing how you can grow in hope23800:14:25,460 –> 00:14:27,539but that idea of growth is the key.23900:14:27,539 –> 00:14:30,340It’s not an instantaneous experience.24000:14:30,340 –> 00:14:32,619So what is the attitude we should have24100:14:32,619 –> 00:14:35,219when we’re in that time of waiting?24200:14:35,219 –> 00:14:36,340When we come back in a moment,24300:14:36,340 –> 00:14:37,460we’ll hear all about that,24400:14:37,460 –> 00:14:39,179so do stay with us.24500:14:39,179 –> 00:14:41,539Message is calledgodinhope24600:14:41,539 –> 00:14:42,679and it’s part of the series,24700:14:42,760 –> 00:14:45,320openthebible.org.uk24800:14:45,320 –> 00:14:48,200or you can also find the messages as a podcast24900:14:48,200 –> 00:14:49,859on all the main podcast sites.25000:14:49,859 –> 00:14:52,320Search for Open the Bible UK.25100:14:52,320 –> 00:14:53,619Back to the message now.25200:14:53,619 –> 00:14:55,719Here again is Pastor Colin.25300:14:55,719 –> 00:14:57,840How can we grow in hope?25400:14:57,840 –> 00:14:59,280Well, here’s how David does it25500:14:59,280 –> 00:15:02,159and here’s how we can grow in hope.25600:15:02,159 –> 00:15:04,039You speak honestly to God.25700:15:04,039 –> 00:15:06,080You tell him the truth25800:15:06,080 –> 00:15:08,780about all that’s coming up from within your soul.25900:15:09,780 –> 00:15:12,799But then, you take yourself in hand.26000:15:12,799 –> 00:15:15,599You challenge yourself26100:15:15,599 –> 00:15:17,580and the way that you do that26200:15:27,580 –> 00:15:30,380is that you affirm what you know to be true about God.26300:15:30,380 –> 00:15:32,039Look again at verse five.26400:15:39,780 –> 00:15:42,780My salvation and my God.26500:15:44,520 –> 00:15:47,640Now, you read that verse, verse five of Psalm 42,26600:15:47,640 –> 00:15:49,820and you think that would be26700:15:49,820 –> 00:15:53,679the most marvelous ending for this Psalm.26800:15:55,479 –> 00:15:57,280But of course, it doesn’t end there.26900:15:58,340 –> 00:16:03,179Notice, you see, he makes this marvelous confession of faith,27000:16:03,179 –> 00:16:06,340hope in God, I’m going to praise him again.27100:16:07,299 –> 00:16:11,780And within four verses, he’s saying to God,27200:16:11,780 –> 00:16:15,039why have you forgotten me, verse nine.27300:16:15,039 –> 00:16:19,479It feels almost as if he’s gone back to where he started,27400:16:19,479 –> 00:16:21,979so you see, he has to give himself27500:16:21,979 –> 00:16:25,679another good talking to, verse 11.27600:16:25,679 –> 00:16:28,039Why are you cast down, O my soul?27700:16:28,039 –> 00:16:30,000Why are you in turmoil within me?27800:16:30,000 –> 00:16:31,840Hope in God.27900:16:32,880 –> 00:16:35,099For I shall yet praise him,28000:16:35,539 –> 00:16:37,580my salvation and my God.28100:16:37,580 –> 00:16:39,700Well, you think now that’s it,28200:16:39,700 –> 00:16:41,820that’s the end of the Psalm.28300:16:41,820 –> 00:16:45,559That’s the moment of triumph except that it’s not.28400:16:45,559 –> 00:16:47,619Remember Psalm 42 and Psalm 43,28500:16:47,619 –> 00:16:49,719almost certainly written as one composition28600:16:49,719 –> 00:16:51,880at the beginning and so you go forward28700:16:51,880 –> 00:16:54,580another couple of verses into Psalm 4328800:16:54,580 –> 00:16:56,020and now he’s asking God,28900:16:56,020 –> 00:16:57,700why have you rejected me?29000:16:57,700 –> 00:16:59,520Why do I go about mourning?29100:16:59,520 –> 00:17:01,900Because of the oppression of my enemy.29200:17:01,900 –> 00:17:04,660So he has to take himself in hand again.29300:17:06,660 –> 00:17:08,579Chapter 43 and verse five.29400:17:09,719 –> 00:17:12,579Why are you cast down, O my soul?29500:17:12,579 –> 00:17:14,560And why are you in turmoil within me?29600:17:16,180 –> 00:17:21,020Hope in God, hope in God for I shall again praise him,29700:17:22,540 –> 00:17:25,280my salvation and my God.29800:17:26,619 –> 00:17:29,660Thank God, this is in the Bible29900:17:29,660 –> 00:17:31,380because you know what this is like30000:17:31,380 –> 00:17:36,380as I do, you struggle to deal with something30100:17:37,199 –> 00:17:39,520that has really hurt you30200:17:41,180 –> 00:17:44,020and you think you’ve got over it.30300:17:44,020 –> 00:17:45,400I’ve been able to forgive30400:17:46,859 –> 00:17:50,420and then, the resentment comes back30500:17:50,420 –> 00:17:53,819and you wonder if you’ve really made any progress.30600:17:55,400 –> 00:17:57,119You think you’ve come to terms30700:17:57,119 –> 00:17:59,939with a great loss in your life,30800:18:00,040 –> 00:18:02,000beginning to find my way now30900:18:03,619 –> 00:18:07,900but then you find that you’re thrown back into turmoil31000:18:07,900 –> 00:18:10,280all over again and you say,31100:18:10,280 –> 00:18:14,640I just seem to be right back where I started.31200:18:16,920 –> 00:18:19,160You think that you’ve dealt with these fears31300:18:20,719 –> 00:18:23,920but you find that you still have a battle on your hands31400:18:25,359 –> 00:18:28,780and you say, will I ever be done with this?31500:18:29,599 –> 00:18:33,380I don’t seem to be making any progress at all.31600:18:34,380 –> 00:18:36,900Now when you read these Psalms,31700:18:36,900 –> 00:18:40,479it does seem like they’re going round in circles31800:18:40,479 –> 00:18:43,420and indeed, when you face great darkness31900:18:43,420 –> 00:18:45,780that is exactly what it is like.32000:18:45,780 –> 00:18:47,579You think you’ve won through32100:18:47,579 –> 00:18:51,060and then you find yourself back in the thick of the battle32200:18:51,060 –> 00:18:54,099all over again and you may well feel,32300:18:54,099 –> 00:18:56,300well, am I really getting anywhere?32400:18:56,300 –> 00:18:59,319I just don’t seem to be making any progress.32500:18:59,319 –> 00:19:01,300I’m just going round in circles.32600:19:04,119 –> 00:19:06,319Let me give you a picture to encourage you.32700:19:08,119 –> 00:19:11,199Imagine a steep mountain32800:19:12,420 –> 00:19:15,040and a long winding road32900:19:15,040 –> 00:19:18,020that goes all the way around the bottom33000:19:18,020 –> 00:19:20,719and then gradually, as it circles the mountain,33100:19:20,719 –> 00:19:24,160works its way up towards the summit.33200:19:27,260 –> 00:19:29,579You travel on the road33300:19:29,579 –> 00:19:33,280and as you’re driving round the mountain,33400:19:33,280 –> 00:19:35,880you keep seeing the same view.33500:19:35,880 –> 00:19:38,160First, you’re seeing the view looking north,33600:19:38,160 –> 00:19:40,160then you’re seeing the view looking west,33700:19:40,160 –> 00:19:42,040then you’re seeing the view looking south,33800:19:42,040 –> 00:19:44,020then you’re seeing the view looking east33900:19:44,020 –> 00:19:45,560and then you’re back to the same old view34000:19:45,560 –> 00:19:49,119looking north again.34100:19:49,119 –> 00:19:51,339The kids are in the back of the car34200:19:51,339 –> 00:19:54,819and they’re saying, we’ve seen this before.34300:19:54,819 –> 00:19:58,459And we’re just going round in circles.34400:19:58,459 –> 00:20:01,859And of course, that is true.34500:20:01,859 –> 00:20:05,560But at the same time, you are getting higher.34600:20:05,560 –> 00:20:08,020And if you keep going,34700:20:08,020 –> 00:20:13,020you will reach the top of the mountain.34800:20:13,020 –> 00:20:17,380I shall again praise Him,34900:20:17,380 –> 00:20:22,959my Salvation and my God.35000:20:22,959 –> 00:20:27,239Let this psalm be an encouragement to you.35100:20:27,239 –> 00:20:32,000Some victories take longer than others.35200:20:32,000 –> 00:20:34,199And the whole point of this psalm surely35300:20:34,199 –> 00:20:38,219is that David keeps on seeking the Lord,35400:20:38,219 –> 00:20:41,239even when he seems far away.35500:20:41,239 –> 00:20:44,319He keeps on challenging himself35600:20:44,319 –> 00:20:46,719because he needs it.35700:20:46,719 –> 00:20:49,640He keeps affirming what he knows to be true,35800:20:49,739 –> 00:20:52,739that there’s hope for you in God.35900:20:52,739 –> 00:20:55,680And he keeps anticipating the deliverance36000:20:55,680 –> 00:20:57,859that will one day be his.36100:20:57,859 –> 00:21:02,699I shall again praise him.36200:21:02,699 –> 00:21:05,780And he wins through36300:21:05,780 –> 00:21:08,900because he does not give up.36400:21:08,900 –> 00:21:11,520I shall again praise him,36500:21:11,520 –> 00:21:14,719my salvation and my God.36600:21:14,859 –> 00:21:15,939The lips36700:21:15,939 –> 00:21:20,680that once said God has forgotten me36800:21:20,680 –> 00:21:24,339will say God has delivered me36900:21:24,339 –> 00:21:27,500because he’s my God37000:21:27,500 –> 00:21:30,739and he’s my salvation.37100:21:30,739 –> 00:21:33,619You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible37200:21:33,619 –> 00:21:35,780and a message called Hope in God37300:21:35,780 –> 00:21:38,219part of our series Grow in Hope.37400:21:38,219 –> 00:21:41,060And if you ever miss one of the messages in the series37500:21:41,060 –> 00:21:45,140you can easily come to our website at openthebible.org.uk37600:21:45,140 –> 00:21:47,160and there you’ll find all the messages37700:21:47,160 –> 00:21:48,839that have already been broadcast.37800:21:48,839 –> 00:21:50,660You can also find them as a podcast37900:21:50,660 –> 00:21:52,520on all the main podcast sites38000:21:52,520 –> 00:21:54,859by searching for open the Bible UK.38100:21:55,839 –> 00:21:58,020I know many of you listen to podcasts38200:21:58,020 –> 00:22:00,979and we’re excited to tell you about a new podcast38300:22:00,979 –> 00:22:02,380for Open the Bible.38400:22:02,380 –> 00:22:05,180It’s a companion to Pastor Colin’s book38500:22:05,180 –> 00:22:06,780hiking through the Bible.38600:22:06,780 –> 00:22:09,719Yeah and each week I’ll read a chapter from the book38700:22:09,719 –> 00:22:12,339and then I get to discuss it with some friends.38800:22:12,339 –> 00:22:14,060So if you join us on the podcast,38900:22:14,060 –> 00:22:18,439in 50 weeks we’ll cover 50 chapters of the Bible together39000:22:18,439 –> 00:22:20,800and in a year you’ll have hiked39100:22:20,800 –> 00:22:23,160through the entire Bible story.39200:22:23,160 –> 00:22:25,780Now if you think hiking sounds like hard work,39300:22:25,780 –> 00:22:27,719don’t worry, I promise you39400:22:27,719 –> 00:22:30,719this hike will be an easy gentle pace.39500:22:30,719 –> 00:22:32,239There’s a link to the podcast39600:22:32,239 –> 00:22:34,959and lots more information on our website39700:22:34,959 –> 00:22:38,239at openthebible.org.uk39800:22:39,079 –> 00:22:42,000Well, as many of our regular listeners know,39900:22:42,000 –> 00:22:45,319Open The Bible is supported financially by our listeners40000:22:45,319 –> 00:22:48,079and if you already give to support the work,40100:22:48,079 –> 00:22:49,239thank you so much.40200:22:49,239 –> 00:22:51,119We really appreciate it.40300:22:51,119 –> 00:22:53,439If you’re considering beginning to support40400:22:53,439 –> 00:22:55,680Open The Bible financially this month,40500:22:55,680 –> 00:22:57,839we’d love to make you an offer.40600:22:57,839 –> 00:23:00,239Here’s Open The Bible’s Amanda Cunningham40700:23:00,239 –> 00:23:01,520to tell us about it.40800:23:01,520 –> 00:23:03,439This month at Open The Bible,40900:23:03,439 –> 00:23:05,880we are really excited to be giving away41000:23:05,880 –> 00:23:08,839Pastor Collins Smith’s brand new devotional,41100:23:08,839 –> 00:23:10,880Grow In Faith.41200:23:10,880 –> 00:23:13,839It’s a 30 day devotional designed to help believers41300:23:13,839 –> 00:23:15,560deepen their trust in God,41400:23:15,560 –> 00:23:18,119become more anchored in His promises41500:23:18,119 –> 00:23:21,800and grow in confidence in Him day by day.41600:23:21,800 –> 00:23:25,719It’s part of a new series exploring faith, hope and love41700:23:25,719 –> 00:23:29,000and this first book focuses on what it really means41800:23:29,000 –> 00:23:33,880to grow a strong and steady faith in everyday life.41900:23:33,880 –> 00:23:37,000One of the things I really appreciate about this devotional42000:23:37,000 –> 00:23:39,599is how practical and honest it is.42100:23:39,599 –> 00:23:41,439Collin talks about the reality42200:23:41,439 –> 00:23:44,439of what Jesus called little faith,42300:23:44,439 –> 00:23:46,640the kind of faith that can become anxious,42400:23:46,640 –> 00:23:50,079distracted or overwhelmed by circumstances42500:23:50,079 –> 00:23:53,359and I think that many of us can relate to that.42600:23:53,359 –> 00:23:56,119Through daily scripture readings and reflections,42700:23:56,119 –> 00:23:58,319Grow In Faith helps reader see42800:23:58,319 –> 00:24:00,319that faith is not just believing42900:24:00,319 –> 00:24:02,119certain truths about God,43000:24:02,160 –> 00:24:04,319but learning to trust him personally43100:24:04,319 –> 00:24:06,760in the middle of life’s challenges.43200:24:06,760 –> 00:24:08,880Collin explores how faith grows43300:24:08,880 –> 00:24:10,520as we serve the Lord,43400:24:10,520 –> 00:24:12,680get to know Jesus more deeply43500:24:12,680 –> 00:24:16,520and learn to rely on the Holy spirit each day.43600:24:16,520 –> 00:24:19,479It’s an encouraging and accessible devotion43700:24:19,479 –> 00:24:20,400that would work well43800:24:20,400 –> 00:24:22,599whether you’ve been a Christian for many years43900:24:22,599 –> 00:24:24,719or whether you’re looking to strengthen a faith44000:24:24,719 –> 00:24:28,119that feels weak or weary at the moment.44100:24:28,119 –> 00:24:31,400Grow In Faith is not actually for sale in the U.K. yet,44200:24:31,400 –> 00:24:34,560but we would love to send you an exclusive copy44300:24:34,560 –> 00:24:37,280as a thank you for supporting the ministry.44400:24:37,280 –> 00:24:39,719You can receive it when you give a one-off donation44500:24:39,719 –> 00:24:41,479of £60 or more44600:24:41,479 –> 00:24:45,359or when you set up a new monthly gift of at least £5.44700:24:45,359 –> 00:24:47,719But please do remember to leave your name44800:24:47,719 –> 00:24:49,280and address when you give44900:24:49,280 –> 00:24:51,839so that we know where to send your book.45000:24:51,839 –> 00:24:53,040Thanks, Amanda.45100:24:53,040 –> 00:24:55,160Full terms and conditions about this offer45200:24:55,160 –> 00:24:56,719can be found on our website.45300:24:56,719 –> 00:24:59,920That’s at openthebible.org.uk45400:24:59,920 –> 00:25:01,719You can give online.45500:25:01,719 –> 00:25:03,079But as Amanda says,45600:25:03,079 –> 00:25:05,800please remember to leave your full name and address45700:25:05,800 –> 00:25:07,920so we can send you your gift.45800:25:08,359 –> 00:25:10,560For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,45900:25:10,560 –> 00:25:11,839I’m David Pick46000:25:11,839 –> 00:25:15,319and I very much look forward to being with you next time.46100:25:23,160 –> 00:25:26,680Hope comes from God through Jesus Christ.46200:25:26,680 –> 00:25:29,959Find out more next time on Open the Bible.