Cry Out

These are some of my notes from what I preached to the youth on Wednesday night. It really struck me how brutally honest David's prayers are in the book of Psalms. Now it seems like prayer has become such a romanticized, experience-oriented spiritual exercise. But that's not how it's supposed to be. Prayer is just a broken heart crying out to the Lord. All the Lord wants from us is our honest, sincere cries at all times.

Note: I read from the New Living Translation of the Bible on Wednesday (though my Bible is New American Standard, and I usually study with New King James version, too). I like how simple the Word is translated in the NLT, and sometimes you just gotta have the Word in the language of the people. :) Anyway, onward....


Ever feel this way…..
Overwhelmed?
Like no one cares what happens to me?
Very low?
Losing all hope?
Paralyzed with fear?
The depression deepens?
My heart is full of pain?
I’m fading like a shadow at dusk?
My heart is sick?
In the pit of despair?
Sinking into the mud and the mire?
Surrounded by too many troubles to count?
Like I cannot see the way out?
Like I’ve lost all my courage?
Poor and needy?
Overwhelmed by my troubles?
My heart is in anguish?
My heart is overwhelmed?
I’m sinking deeper and deeper?
Death itself stares me in the face?
In the depths of despair?

CRY OUT! – The answer is CRY OUT to the Lord!

Why?
Because you got to ask a question before you get an answer.
Because you got to ask for help before the Lord will be your help.
Silence gains nothing but silence.
But crying out to the Lord is the answer... or, maybe the way to the answer.

Remember those feelings that I talked about earlier? Let’s look at the person who felt like all those things above. It was David, the man after God's own heart! You say, "No, it couldn't have been him." Oh yes!

I Samuel 22:1 – David’s trouble in the cave
Psalm 142 – David’s prayer during that trouble.
That was David's response to his trouble. He was rejected by men, chased by his king, surrounded by four hundred losers. Yeah, life was looking a little desperate. So David cried out to the Lord.

What am I doing instead of crying out?
+ turn on the TV
+ call somebody to tell them all my troubles
+ or, talk to somebody online, or, text somebody
(why are we more comfortable baring our soul to a complete stranger/kinda friend, than we are telling the One who knows all things? OR, why are we so quick to tell a person, rather than the God who can deliver us?)
+ eat food
+ sleep
+ hurt my body (by cutting, inflicting pain, abusing my body in any way)
+ shopping
+ obsessing over somebody/anything

These are all symptoms of the same problem… we will not cry out to Christ!

What keeps me from crying out?
You’ll have to answer this question yourself.
- Pride?
- Shame?
- Deception by the enemy? (telling you lies about who God is, what He thinks of you and what He can/cannot do about your problems)

Lie #1 of the enemy – “God doesn’t care about me”

God’s Truth –
“Cast all your cares (anxiety) on Him, because He cares for you.”I Pet. 5:7

Lie #2 of the enemy – “God doesn’t care about my problems”

God’s Truth –
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8

Lie #3 of the enemy – “I’m not important enough for God to help”

God’s Truth –
“He will rescue the poor when they cry to Him; He will help the oppressed,
who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and the needy,
and He will rescue them. He will save them from oppression and from
violence, for their lives are precious to Him.” Psalm 72: 12-14

Lie #4 of the enemy – “God doesn’t want to hear about my problems.”

God’s Truth
“Cast your burden(s) on the Lord and He will sustain you…” Ps. 55:22

When do I cry out?
- “All day long” (Ps. 86:3)
- “Morning, noon and night” (Ps. 55:17)
- “in the day of my trouble” (Ps. 86:7)
- “In the day and in the night” (Ps. 88:1)
- “In their trouble” (Ps. 107:6, 13, 19, 28)
- “All night long” (Ps. 77:2)

How do I cry out?
- Out loud (Ps. 55:17)
- Taking all my troubles to Him (Ps. 142:2)
- Praising as I speak (Ps. 66:17)
- Without holding back (Ps. 77: 1)
- Keep on pleading (Ps. 88:13)

What’s the result of me crying out?
- He hears (Ps. 55:17 ---and A LOT more Scriptures, like in my Bible)
- He answers (Ps. 3:4, Ps. 31, Ps. 120:1)
- He gives help (Ps. 18:6)
- He restores my health (Ps. 30:2)
- He sets me free from all my fears (Ps. 34:6)
- He gives me the strength I need (Ps. 138:3)
o “makes me bold with strength in my soul” (NAS)
- He makes me “radiant with joy” (Ps. 34:5)
o causes me to live in joy (Ps. 69:32, Ps. 30:-12)

READ Psalm 143... and Cry Out to the Lord!