But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Psalms 33:11 NIV

A couple of weeks ago I got some disturbing news. My first reaction was one of disbelief. I wanted to instantly try and solve the problem, but to be honest, I didn't know how. Almost as quickly as the news had come, I seem to hear

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

Here we are in yet another year! It sure seems like the years are getting

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. Psalms 42:1 NIV

For the past year I have traveled about an hour from my home every Sunday to pastor a church. The drive takes me through some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. As dangerous as it can be, one of the more pleasant experiences has been seeing

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalms 42:2 NIV

The last year has been a real challenge for me, as I have sought the Lord's will for my new full-time ministry. It's a challenge to discern the will of God when there are more ministry opportunities than there are times within the day to meet them. I

My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Psalms 42:3 NIV

We learn several things about the Psalmist here. First, the Psalmist is enduring a trial of some kind. These are not tears of joy, these are tears of pain. Second, the Psalmist has made the appeal to God before. This has been a

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Psalms 42:4 NIV

It hadn't always been like this. There had been times of real contentment; real joy. In fact, there were times when the Psalmist lead the

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalms 42:5-6a NIV

Have you ever been having a really bad day and somewhere in the middle of it you stop and think, "why am I allowing myself to feel this way"?

Those days for me are usually called Mondays. Sundays

my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar. Psalms 42:6 NIV

We begin this week where we left off last week. When you are struggling through a time of depression or heartache, the answer out is a proper recognition of who God is.

The Psalmist was in an

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalms 42:7 NIV

The imagery the Psalmist uses here is that of water. The thought of one drop of rain reminds him of many drops of water. Soon he is thinking about running water, then a waterfall, then maybe an ocean body of water. One drop leads to

By day the LORD directs His love, at night His song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life. Psalms 42:8 NIV

The Psalmist has a secret. It's not as earth shattering as you and I might think it is. The secret is not found in a self-help book or in the horoscope. You won't find it on Oprah and most people think it sounds a little too easy. The

I say to God my Rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" Psalms 42:9 NIV

God can take it. He can take your honest heart. God needs to be approached with fear and reverence, but God is a big God, and He already knows your true heart, so why not share with Him how you feel? Don't hold anything back

My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Psalms 42:10 NIV

Sometimes the hardest part about waiting for God is the view of those who don't trust God...and many times even the view of those who do. Those people closest to us are often those least supportive of our decision to "wait on the

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalms 42:11 NIV

The Psalmist ends with a reflection of the truth. Why should he be discouraged about life when there is a God? He is not just a distant God. He is not an absentee God. He is a God who comes to save!

Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men. Psalm 43:1 NIV

We have been looking at Psalm 42, discovering how the Psalmist dealt with disappointing times, but Psalm 43, many believe, is a continuation of the same Psalm, so we begin seeking God's truth through this Psalm today.

Who is

You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy? Psalm 43:2 NIV

As strong as the Psalmist's faith is, even after reminding himself about God's unfailing love, there are still periods of great doubt; elements of wonder. "Why would God allow these things to happen to me? Why doesn't God do

Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise You with the harp, O God, my God. Ps 43:4 NIV

The difference in trusting in God and anything else is that when your life is fully grounded in the Word of Truth, and you are walking in the Spirit of God, allowing God to direct your path, there is a peace that

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 43:5 NIV

There's the encouragement again. The Psalmist directs our hearts where our hearts belong, on the praise and glory and honor of our Savior and God.

Consider for just a moment, your praise time. How are

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything. Mark 4:33-34 NIV

Before you begin reading this series, will you do me a favor? Actually this wouldn't be a bad practice everyday,

That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Mark 4:35 NIV

Are you remembering that Jesus had a calculated purpose for everything He did during His time on earth? When Jesus led His disciples to the "other side", there was more to it than just a midnight ride!

There was work to be done on the other

Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. Mark 4:36 NIV

Not fully knowing all of Jesus' intentions for a nighttime boat ride, the disciples followed their Lord's lead and got into the boat. I love the phrase, "they took Him along, just as He was".

At some point in your

Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. Mark 4:36 NIV

Jesus was teaching the disciples a valuable lesson about Himself, and that's the overall theme of the story in this series. We tend to focus on the disciples and Jesus, because they are the central characters in the