Comfort in Crisis

Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 170 views
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

Comfort in Crisis

Psalm 23:1–4 KJV 1900
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
…though i walk through the valley...
There are some places that I enjoy going...
There are some places that I love to walk to, near...
It is a walk that bring fulfillment, joy, satisfaction and peace...
But...
There are other places that I do not enjoy walking - nor would I ever plan a trip to walk through certain valleys...
Death Valley is the largest U.S. National Park outside Alaska at 3.4 million acres. Nearly 1000 miles of paved and dirt roads provide access to locations both popular and remote. Even so, 91% of the park is protected as officially designated Wilderness. That wild country includes low valley floors crusted with barren salt flats, rugged mountains rising as much as 11,000 feet, deep and winding canyons, rolling sand dunes, and spring-fed oases.
I have seen some rugged mountain terrain, that I would mind exploring, but to get there would be almost impossible and to get out would be even more impossible...
Definitely would not be a pleasant trip...
Life however, does not let us chose all of our detours… We have the freedom to chose our direction, but we do not always get to chose the path of least resistence in order to get there...
Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Comfort in Crisis

Pray
Billy Graham comments:
“Nowhere does the Bible teach that Christians are exempt from the tribulations and natural disasters that come upon the world. Scripture does teach that the Christian can face tribulation, crisis, calamity, and personal suffering with a supernatural power that is not available to the person outside of Christ.”
When we look into scripture, and when we look around, it is clear to see that tragedy, crisis comes into everyone’s life.
This morning, as we look at Ps23, we will glean a few truths to help us deal with these times of crisis.

1. The Character of the Valley

Yea, though I walk through THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
THIS IS A VALLEY OF LOSS OR FEAR OF LOSS:
LIFE
Spouse
Parent
Child
Close friend / relative
LOVE
Divorce
Separation
Severed Relationship
family
friend
LONGEVITY - health
Bed / Room
Care home
Hospital
Hospice
LIVELIHOOD
Financial reversal
homeless
loss of Job
Unexpected bills
car / appliances / Dr. bills
Rising cost of living
Homeless - we have had many who have experienced this - who were workers - had a job / willing to work… reversal...
The character of this valley brings fear -

2. The Commonness of the Valley

“Yea, though I WALK...”
adsf
THIS VALLEY IS INDISCRIMINATE...
It knows no
race / color / creed
Social or economic standing
This valley becomes very personal when you are walking in it’s shadowed floor
Fear
Lonliness
Anxiety
Pressure...
When crisis comes into your life - you will learn how to better help others during their times of crisis
it will teach you to be less judgmental...
It will teach you how to have more grace, patience and love...
Crisis comes with a weight that is so real...
You cannot breathe
you can literally feel the pressure upon your chest - you know that there is nothing physically on you - but you feel the great weight that is indescribable...
Everyone will walk through this valley
You are not the only one who has been in this valley
1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV 1900
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Others have been here before you
Daniel - watching his homeland invaded / men killed / women molested - was physically violated - made a eunuch and taken away as a captive to a foreign land
Joseph - Hated by his brothers - conspired against / thrown into a pit and sold off as a slave by his own brothers
David -
Hated by Saul - became a fugitive -
Conspired against by his Son Absalom & his trusted friends and counselors
Psalm 142:4 KJV 1900
4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, But there was no man that would know me: Refuge failed me; No man cared for my soul.

3. The Company in the Valley

Psalm 23:4 KJV 1900
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
“…for THOU ARE WITH ME...”
The Lord brings comfort...
His presence makes the difference!!!
It is the presence of God that gives us strength...
Friday was 3 months since my dad went home to be with the Lord. There has not been a day that there not been a deep sense of hurt and loss…
I do not talk too much about it because it is painful -
it is in this valley that others have walked before...
It is in this valley that others are walking now...
Cancer
Heart attack / stroke
Dementia / Alsheimers
Other debilitating and destructive diseases
Tests being run
biopsies being taken
growths / lumps / tumors
But praise be to God… He never leaves us nor forsakes us!!!
He is with those who are homebound right now…
He is with Bro. Ormosen in the hospital room this morning
He is with those who are in the midst of a valley -
His Presence
His Person -
His Power -
Thy rod and thy staff - they comfort me...
Rod of protection....
Staff - lovingly leading and guiding
His Provision… -
It is in this valley that you can truly see the Lord in your own life...
Don’t run from him - Run to him...
I heard someone give an illustration once about an old wooden well bucket he came upon. He thought it was useless at first, because it had been sitting next to a barn in the sun, unused for a long time. He could see daylight between the wooden slats of the bucket. Certainly, this thing would never hold water again.
But an older man with him tied the bucket to the well rope and let it drop into the water below. In a couple of days they came back and turned the crank to draw the bucket back up. It was full of clear, cool well water and was not leaking a drop.
The water had re-hydrated the wooden slats until they fit together as originally designed, and the bucket was useful again.
You may feel empty
you may feel as though there is no hope - no future...
But the Lord will get you through this valley - and life will come back together...
usefulness
fulfillment
joy -
The Lord is the One that will help us through this dreaded valley...
John 14:16–17 KJV 1900
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
another comforter - the Lord gives comfort
The Holy Spirit of God that indwells the believer… He is called “the Comforter”
Comfort in Crisis
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more