The Sickness of Sinfulness Part 2 - 9/27/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to [music] the podcast of

Meadows Baptist Church of Walnut Cove,

North Carolina. We're so glad [music]

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friends. Now, let's join Pastor [music]

Charlie Branch with a word from God.

Psalm division number six tonight. if

you have a Bible and going to finish the

thought we dealt with there on Wednesday

evening and just felt compelled to the

Lord to be here uh tonight. Maybe we'll

be back with Abraham on Wednesday

evening and I've been looking forward to

finishing this out and we talked uh

Wednesday night um pretty about the I

guess really would be the darker side of

this text. I'll say this um sometimes it

takes the darkness to bring out the

light. Amen. and we really need God's

help in this this text tonight. So, I

wish you'd pray for me. When you find

your place, if you would stand in honor,

reverence to the reading of God's word.

Again, I do appreciate everything that's

been done tonight. And the sweet

presence of God's been on everything

that has been done from the first

congregational. Uh I've just felt the

Lord here. Amen. And I appreciate it

very very much and thank the Lord for

it. And I, brother Todd, I appreciate

that song. I mean that. That's good. I

bless his name for it. Psalm division

number six. Let's look in verse number

one. If you found your place, would you

say amen?

>> Amen.

>> Verse number one, David says, "Oh Lord,

rebuke me not in thine anger, neither

chasen me in thy hot displeasure. Have

mercy upon me, oh Lord, for I am weak,

oh Lord, heal me, for my bones are

vexed. My soul is also sore vexed, but

thou, oh Lord, how long? Return, O Lord,

deliver my soul. Oh, save me for thy

mercy's sake. For in death there's no

remembrance of thee. In the grave, who

shall give thee thanks? I am weary with

my groaning. All the night make I my bed

to swim. I water my couch with my tears.

Mine eyes consumed because of grief. It

waxeth, oh, because of all mine enemies.

Depart from me, all ye workers of

iniquity. For the Lord hath heard the

voice of my weeping. The Lord hath he

hurt my supplication. Notice this

phrase. I love this. Listen to what he

says. The Lord will receive my prayer.

But aren't you thankful for the times in

your life when you prayed and you

thought, "Man, there ain't no way. I'm

in too dark a place. I've done too much

wrong." But the Holy Ghost comes by and

says, "Child, it's going to be all

right."

>> Amen. That'll help you if you let it.

Amen. He said, "The Lord will receive my

prayer." Then David said in verse 10,

"Let all mine enemies be ashamed and

sore vexed. let them return and be

ashamed suddenly. Father, I ask you,

God, tonight please for your help as we

look at this text. God, I pray uh Lord

that you would not allow us to uh let

familiarity uh hinder us from receiving,

God, what you have for us out of these

scriptures tonight. And Lord, I really

believe this where you'd have us to be.

And so, God, I pray you'd speak to our

hearts tonight and give us wisdom. Lord,

I pray, you know, we ask you for your

help. Lord, we know, God, that we're

nothing without you. And God, I pray

you'd strengthen us, hide us behind the

cross, get all glory to yourself. And

Lord, I pray you'd remove the flesh far

from us. Speak to us and through us,

Lord, for what you do, we'll give you

thanks because you alone are worthy. And

we ask it all in Jesus name. God's

children said,

>> "Amen, you can be seated this evening."

I don't want to review long this

evening, but I know as many of you

wasn't here uh on Wednesday night. I

don't say this tonight. We look

Wednesday evening uh really at the first

two points of this text. I've got five

that I want to share with you tonight

just just for sake of review tonight. We

considered David's condition that he was

fearful because of his sin in verse

number one and he was frail because of

his sickness in verse number two. But

he's flustered because of silence. And

we talked about that silence, the fact

that God seemingly could not be found in

David's life. And I want to say this, if

you ever get to a place where you're

better off when God is silent, there's

something wrong. You say, "What do you

mean?" I want to say this. You may not

ever heard his voice cuz let me say

this. A child of God will never get to a

place in their life when they're okay in

his silence. That's right.

>> You need to hear his voice. I need to

hear his voice. Can I get an amen

tonight? And so we considered tonight

David's condition. We mentioned David's

cry that he cried out for the calming of

the Lord. He said in verse one, "Rebuke

me not in thine anger." And he asked for

a cure. In verse number two, he said,

"Heal me." Notice that he said, "Oh

Lord, heal me for my bones are vexed."

And then he asked for closeness. And

this is where we ended up on last time.

And I want to finish the message

tonight, but I want to overview the

chapter before I continue in this text.

And I want to say this tonight, it's a

dire strait that David is in. And when I

look back at this chapter, and I guess I

took the helicopter view of this text, I

noticed some things here in this chapter

that really caught my eye. Now, if

you've ever been in this place, you'll

know what David is feeling. We see in

this text, the enemy has condemned

David. Say, "What do you mean?" Well,

notice verse number seven. He says,

"Mine eye is consumed because of grief."

Look at this. It waxeth old because of

what? Because of all mine enemies. Now,

I want to tell you this. You may have

enemies in this life, but we know what

the Bible teaches about that we wrestle

not against what? Flesh and blood. Amen.

And so, your enemy is not that other

person. And I'll tell you, more than

often than not, the enemy you're facing

is you.

>> Amen. And the enemy is the devil in your

life. And so this enemy has condemned

David in this text. He says, "My my eyes

are waxing old because of mine enemies."

But we also notice not only the enemy

has condemned David, but there's evident

conviction in this text because of what

David said in verse number one. Oh Lord,

rebuke me not in thine anger, neither

chasten me in thy hot displeasure. And

so if you've ever been in that place

where you're being condemned by an

outward oppression, but you're also

being convicted on the inside by the

Lord, that's a miserable place to be.

>> But I want to tell you this tonight.

When you get in that place, God's

wanting to teach you something.

>> You say, "What do you mean?" Well, David

in this text, though he has been

condemned by the enemy, and evidently

because of his statement in verse one,

he is under conviction. I want to say

this. There is essential correction that

David is going to receive in this text.

And when you get in a mess in your life

and the enemy is condemning you and at

the very same time the uh the Lord is

convicting you, you need to realize and

understand, hey, I need to stop and take

a step back for a minute. You say, "What

do you mean, preacher? I'm saying you

need to take a step back and do some

inventory. God's trying to teach you

something."

>> Because if you got the enemy working

against you and God trying to help you,

he's going to take you somewhere you've

never been before. And I want to say

this, David's failure in this text has

brought him to a low place. But somebody

said it the other day, the good thing

about rock bottom is there's only one

way left to go, and that's up. Amen. And

David is going to find out that the

sickness of sinfulness in his life, the

title of the message, part number two

tonight, he's going to find out that

sickness does pass. And I want to say

this tonight, aren't you thankful that

the sickness, amen, of sin in our life,

it does pass. Amen. Sin will not be

dealt with forever. You may spend the

rest of your life dealing with

consequences of sin. But let me say this

tonight. One of these days those

consequences will be over. Amen. And one

day there will come deliverance from

sin. But I notice in this David is

desiring closeness. We see that here in

the text in David's cry. But I notice

this. Thirdly, we've considered his his

condition and his cry. But notice his

consideration in verse number five.

David has asked the Lord to return

because silence, God's absence, Spurgeon

says, was the main cause of his misery.

And there's nothing more miserable than

God being silent. And so God here in the

text, he says in verse four, "Return, O

Lord." He's asking the Lord to be

present in his life once again. And

notice what David considers in verse 5.

He says, "For in death there is no

remembrance of thee." You say, "What do

you mean?" Well, David's thinking about

what's shortly going to come to him

because he's afraid he's going to die.

He's afraid his sin through his sickness

is going to be the summary of his life.

And you know what? There's been a lot of

people, amen, that their sin brought

them a sickness. And you know what

happened to them? Their life was over

because of it.

>> You say, "Preacher, I I don't understand

what you're saying." Well, I'll just

illustrate it for you again. There's

been a lot of days that drunks have got

behind the wheel of an automobile and

because of their drunken stuper state,

they end up taking their own life. And

sadly, many times the lives of others

because of the sickness of their sin

brought them their summary. And you know

what they WERE REMEMBERED FOR? THEY WERE

REMEMBERED for the sickness that was on

them for the rest of their life. I'm

saying it's a serious matter. Your sin

is.

>> Amen. You say, "Preacher, well, I'm not

sick because of it." Well, here's what

you find. and you hang around long

enough in it, you'll be that way.

>> That's right.

>> Amen. And so David here in this text, he

is saying, "Death is near." But notice

what he says about death. For in death,

there's no remembrance of these. So what

does he said? Number one, David's

consideration is that in death there's

no thoughts.

Not only this, there's no thoughts of

God. You say, "What do you mean?" Well,

the physical consciousness, what David

is expressing, you got to understand

something. I know that there's a

hereafter. I know Luke 16 is there but

what David is expressing is that when

this body dies this body cannot

physically think anymore

>> do you realize you get one chance to

live life in this body

>> right

>> and in death the Bible says God he says

under the inspiration of the spirit of

God there's no remembrance of thee you

know what that word remembrance means it

means commemoration it means David says

I cannot honor you if I die

says I'll have no chance to rever you

for what you truly deserve if you take

my life. He is pleading for the mercy of

God. But he not only considers the fact

that there will be no thoughts, there

will be no remembrance and death. But

notice what he says in verse 5. He says

also in the grave, who shall give thee

things. David is saying, not only is

there no thoughts in the grave, I don't

I won't have a mental capacity to to

think about you, but I also will not be

able to voice my things. You say,

preacher, what do you mean? Well, the

Bible tells us in Hebrews that we are by

him, that is Christ. We are to offer the

sacrifice of thanksgiving to him

continually. And what did he say that

was? That is the fruit of our lips,

giving thanks unto his name. You know

what you'll do tonight? If you walk out

there in that graveyard and you stand

there long enough, you know what you're

going to hear? Silence.

>> Nothing. Those those those bodies, those

lips, Spurgeon said it this way. He

said, "Those lips in that grave," he

said, "they're dumb." And there is deaf

silence there. The lips that are in the

grave cannot speak. The ears that are in

the grave cannot hear. The body that's

in the grave cannot be obedient. David

is asking for another chance to get this

THING RIGHT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE

you're at tonight. I believe this. God

sent this message for a reason. I don't

know how close you are to it. But the

truth is, you don't know how close you

are to it.

>> WHAT CHANCE? WHAT OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE?

I WISH SOMEBODY COULD HEAR ME PREACH

TONIGHT. DAVID is considering. WHY?

BECAUSE HIS SIN HAS BECOME SO GRIEVIOUS

TO HIM. He thinks that it's just that

near. He thinks that this might be the

last chance.

David is considering here the afterlife.

I notice not only David's consideration,

I notice David's complaint. I'm going to

be done quick tonight, but that's all

right. David's consideration in verse 5.

Notice David's complain in verse six. He

says, "I'm weary with my groaning all

the night. Make I my bed to swim." In

other words, number one, David's

complaint is that he's sick of sighing.

That word groan there literally means to

sigh. It literally almost translates to

the same word in the Greek in the New

Testament when Jesus went to Lazarus's

grave. You remember what they were? They

were talking to him, "Lord, if you'd

been here, you know, four days ago, my

brother had not died." And the Bible

says that Jesus groaned in his spirit.

It's the same implication. He sighed.

You know what David's saying? I'm sick

of this. I'm sick of every day of my

life, every moment of sighing and

sorrow. Some of you are living there.

I'm I'm not naive to that. We live

there. Okay, I'll tell you this. As a

pastor, I've found many days that I'm in

that place. I'm sick of sighing. Why is

that? It's because sin.

>> Let me ask you, when's the last time

your sin greed you so much that you got

sick of sighing over it? When's the last

time your children sin and your family

sin, your friends sin, those around you

just sin in GENERAL MADE YOU SO SICK YOU

WERE SIGHING CONSTANTLY AND YOU BECAME

sick of even groaning over it. Man, I

wish that this could pass for me. David

is at this point. He's sick of sighing.

In verse six, I am weary with my

groaning. Not only is he sick of sigh,

but he's swimming in sorrow. Verse six,

all the night make my bed to swim. David

said, "My tears have filled up my bed

till it's no longer a place to sleep,

but it's a place to swim."

And the sad thing is tonight, there's

some of you that's living there right

now.

This the service has been great tonight.

It's been encouraging. It's going to get

that way here in just a minute, but I

you've got to come to grips for where

you're at.

You've cried more tears than you can

count

over that situation. I don't know who

this is for tonight. It's just what God

put on my heart. You've cried more tears

than you can count. You've prayed more

prayers than you can number. You do not

know what to do. And here's what you

come back to at the end of it all. You

feel like it's your own fault.

And David in this text, he was at fault.

But let me say this. You in your heart

know whether or not this situation is

something you caused.

Here's what you got to decide how you're

going to go forward from this.

>> Because you know what? Regardless of

whether it was your fault or wasn't, you

have a choice going forward how you're

going to handle it. That's right.

>> Whether you are in a situation that you

made, let's put it this way in terms

that we understand. Whether you're in a

storm that you produced or a storm

that's the effects of somebody else's

sin, you have one option. That's either

to stand still or to go forward.

>> And look what happens in this text.

David is pouring out his heart. He is

sick. The tears he has shed. He's sick

of sighing. He's swimming in sorrows.

Notice what he said in verse 7. My eye

is consumed because of grief. His very

sight is is ruined because of the night

sleepless and the night soaking in

tears. You know what it is when you've

wept and wept and wept? You know what

your eyes do? They dry up and they turn

red and your sight becomes blurry. David

says, "I'VE WEPT SO MUCH I CANNOT EVEN

WEEP ANYMORE UNTIL THE POINT THAT I

CAN'T EVEN see physically."

I've never been there before, but I can

tell you this. I know that grief in this

life gets heavy. And I want you to

listen to what David says. It waxeth old

because of my enemies. You see, David is

brokenhearted. But I'm thankful that's

not where this ends. You see, verse

number eight, the psalm takes a shift.

You say, "Why is that?" Well, notice

everything that David is saying. This is

what I love about David. David's honest,

isn't he? All this stuff he's saying,

man, we could look at that and be like,

man, David's being a little bit of a

crybaby. I mean, couldn't we say that,

man? David, David, you're really getting

in a low place. You're acting real

pitiful. And my wife's laughing at me

cuz she tells me this all the time.

You're acting real pitiful, David.

David, why don't you just get up and go

on? But I'm thankful God's never looked

at nobody and said that.

>> That's right.

>> You know what, God? You don't see a

response in this text, but you do see an

answer by David.

>> David's pouring his heart out to God.

Let me say this. If you pour out your

heart to God and you tell him the truth,

it ain't matter, it don't matter what

you say.

Are you listening to me? God knows what

you're going to say anyway. He knows how

you feel on the inside. And all he's

asking you to do is bring it to him.

>> That's right.

>> Notice what happens. David has brought

his complaint. David has pointed out in

this text. HE HAS CRIED OUT TO GOD. HE

HAS CONSIDERED WHAT WOULD BE AFTER DEBT.

He has his complaint IS ALL THE PAIN AND

AGONY HE FEELS PRESENTLY. BUT IN VERSE

number eight, David's mindset shifts.

Look what he says. Depart from me all ye

workers of iniquity. Listen to this. For

the Lord hath heard the voice of my

weeping. I want to give you this and I'm

done tonight on this thought. The

sickness of sinfulness. You see David's

confidence in this text. You say, "What

is David's confidence?" Well, I would

say his confidence number one is in the

listening ear of the father. Look what

the Bible says. Verse eight. For the

Lord hath heard. Amen. Aren't you

thankful now? David said it this way in

Psalm 66:18. He said, "If I regard

Psalms 66:18

iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not

hear me." Now, we quote that verse all

the time. All right? We believe that,

don't we? If we got sin in our life,

God's not going to hear our prayer. But

you know what he says in verse 19? You I

I bet nobody in here knows that verse.

Somebody tell me, what's verse 19 say?

Verse 19 says, David says this, "But

we read that verse all the time and we

think, man, that's so negative." Amen.

If I regard iniquity, man, if I got sin

in my life, God's not going to listen.

But David says in verse 19, somebody

turn there and look at it. He says, but

verily God hath heard me.

He hath attended unto the voice of my

prayer. And then he says in verse 20,

BUT THANKS BE UNTO GOD, he who have not

turned away his mercy. He's not turned

away my prayer, nor his mercy FROM ME.

I'M SAYING DAVID IN A TIME OF SIN, he

recognized that if he could confess IN

THE SPLIT SECOND THAT THAT CONFESSION

COMES OFF HIS LIPS IMMEDIATELY IN A

MOMENT, HIS CONFIDENCE COULD BE

RESTORED. WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE HIS

CONFIDENCE IS NOT IN HIMSELF. HIS

CONFIDENCE IS NOT IN HIS SITUATION. HE'S

NOT SEEING A WAY OUT. HE'S NOT SEEING

VICTORY ON THE HORIZON, BUT HE IS SEEING

THE LORD.

>> HALLELUJAH. AMEN. AND WHAT YOU'LL FIND

IS IS YOU MAY NOT SEE AN EXIT ROUND. YOU

MAY NOT SEE A PLACE TO GET OFF THE

TRAIN. I'M SAYING, FRIEND, BUT YOU CAN

LOOK ABOVE ALL OF THAT. YOU CAN LOOK

BEYOND ALL OF THAT AND SEE THE GOD WHO

NEVER CHANGES. SEE THE GOD WHO LOVES

YOU. AND THE FACT THAT HE PROMISED YOU,

I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.

HE LIVES ON THE INSIDE. AND HE IS ALWAYS

THERE. [screaming]

OH, MY CONFIDENCE IS NOT IN MYSELF. MY

CONFIDENCE IS NOT IN THIS CHURCH. IT'S

NOT IN ANYBODY. BUT MY CONFIDENCE IS IN

HIM TONIGHT. AMEN. He has heard my

prayer. Thank God.

>> Amen.

>> He has heard my prayer. He's confident

in the listening ear of God. He's

confident in the loving heart of God.

Look what he says. For the Lord hath

heard the voice of my weeping. Verse 9.

The Lord hath heard my supplication.

He has heard my strong crying. I see

this in this text. You see, David points

out the sound of his tears. Look at

this. For the Lord hath heard the voice

of my weeping. Now, you know what that

word weeping means? Don't miss this. Are

you with me tonight? Say, "Amen."

>> You know what that word weeping means?

It means dripping.

David says, "He's heard the voice of my

weeping." You know what he's talking

about? He's talking about the sound of

those tears.

>> God sees the tears that shed on this

altar.

>> God sees the tears. You see, David said,

"My bed's I'm swimming in it." The tears

have become so great that it ain't a

place to sleep, but it's a place to

swim. But you know what David says? He

hears the voice.

Every one of those tears is telling God

>> where he's at.

>> I want to say this.

There's people that have written songs

about this and I really don't think they

understand to the full extent of all

that it means that God bottles up the

tears we cry. I understand that. But I

want you to realize something. Every one

of those tears, God knows what every one

of them's for.

He knows what every one of them's about.

David says he's heard the voice of my

weeping, but then he says, not only he

hears the sound of his tears, but he

hears his sorrowful plea. The Lord hath

heard my supplication. That supplication

is a deep groaning within, a weeping, a

pleading, an urgent request of God for

his mercy. What has David cried for in

this text? He said in verse number two,

"Have mercy upon me, Lord, for I'm weak,

for my bones are vexed. My soul is also

sore vexed, but thou, Lord, how long?

Return, oh Lord." David is pleading for

something he does not deserve. Because

the truth is, God should have never

graced him with his presence. God should

have never called him out of the sheep

coat and made him a king. God should

have never done any of that for David.

And now David on the backside of that's

looking back and saying, "God, you've

did all of this for me. And I'm just

asking one more time that you would have

mercy on me. God, I've failed you. I've

messed up. And Lord, I'm pleading. I'm

throwing myself upon your mercy and

asking that you would cleanse me of my

sin because I know that you know the

sound of my tears. And I know that you

know my sorrowful plea. But I love this

part in verse 9. The Lord hath heard my

supplication. But I love this. The Lord

will receive my prayer.

David does not say in this text that the

Lord has received my prayer. Notice

that. But David knows this.

David knows that his prayer is being

sent up and he knows that God will. You

say, "What does that mean, preacher?"

Well,

David is saying that his life basically,

and I want to try to get this out like

it's in my heart and mind. David is

saying that his life, this is a

continual request that he's making unto

God. This prayer is being made over and

over and over again. And you know what?

There's some of you been praying for

things for 20, 30, 40, some of you even

50 years. You've been praying for

something and you say, "What does that

mean, preacher?" Well, I'm saying David

says, "The Lord will receive my prayer."

He says, "God has heard it." But when he

says, "The Lord will receive it." He's

saying that one of these days, God's

going to take it.

>> You know what that means? He's going to

take it and do with it what he will.

>> You realize them prayers you've been

praying for, God's heard.

If they none of the rest of this helps

you tonight, this should help you. God's

heard him. He's aware. Maybe he's maybe

it's just not time for him to

>> take hold of you. Say, "What is that,

preacher?" Well, he's the sovereign one.

Ain't that right? What does that mean?

He's in control.

>> And so, when he so chooses, oh, I love

this. When he so chooses, Brother Shane,

you know what he's going to do? He's

going to take hold of that thing that

you've took your hands off of and placed

it at his feet every day of your life.

He's going to pick that thing up. Says,

"I think it's time for that to be

fixed."

>> Amen.

>> And you know what? For some of you in

here tonight, he may just be He may just

be leaving that thing laying there on

the altar just so you'll keep coming to

him.

>> Amen.

>> He may just be leaving it there just so

you'll continue to wait on him. He said,

"Wait on the Lord." He said, "They that

wait UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR

STRENGTH." He said, "They shall mount up

with wings AS EAGLES." I'M SAYING,

FRIEND, IF YOU JUST KEEP COMING TO HIM,

ONE OF THESE DAYS, HE'S LISTENING. HE

HEARS IT ALL. IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE HE'S

PICKED IT UP YET, BUT LET ME SAY THIS,

FRIEND. ONE OF THESE DAYS, OH, BLESS HIS

NAME, HE WILL PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT

UNDER HIMSELF. AND WHAT YOU COULD NOT

FIX FOR ALL THOSE YEARS OF YOUR PRAYERS,

GOD, IN A MOMENT OF TIME, HE'LL FIX IT.

AMEN. THAT WAS WHERE DAVID'S CONFIDENCE

IS IN. IN THE CHARACTER OF A GOD THAT

DOES NOT CHANGE IN A CHARACTER OF A GOD

WHO CARES ABOUT THE SMALLEST OF PROBLEMS

in our life. Amen.

>> His confidence was that God one day in

his life would receive his prayer. He

would take hold of it.

>> Don't be weary and welloing cuz I'll

tell you something. Those seeds of

prayer that you planted one of these

days will grow up as plants of praise.

He has an answer for your problem. But

maybe he's just taking his time. You've

got to trust the process. And David

says, "The Lord hath heard my

supplication." And the Lord will. You

may not h you may not be able to see the

answer, but you can have confidence in

the answer given God. Amen.

>> Don't you rejoice in that?

>> You may not see the answer, but I'm

telling you, friend, you can have

confidence that he knows the answer.

>> And you know what? You say, "Preacher,

what man, I'm telling you, I I've got to

spend some time last couple weeks,

Brother Steve." And uh I love him so

much. I love Brother Steve. her such a

blessing, him and Vicki. And he was

telling me about his mom. And I was

thinking about her when I studied this

sermon. Some of y'all don't even know

them. Miss Modina probably prayed for

him for 30 years, 40 years. And you know

what? She died never seeing it take

place. She died never seen him step foot

in this church. But you know what? She

went to heaven and it was literally the

act of her going to heaven that brought

him and his wife in this place. And her

prayer was answered. She never even saw

it.

>> I'm saying you say, "Preacher, what are

you pointing out?" I'm saying David knew

that God would receive his prayer. He

would answer it in his time, in his way,

and on his terms.

>> She believed that

>> the only way you may ever see your

prayer answered is if you take it that

way.

>> I'm saying David was confident. He was

confident in the looking eye of God. He

was confident in the loving heart of

God. I want to say this. He was

confident in the listening ear and the

loving heart, but he was confident in

the looking eye of God. Notice verse

nine, the Lord will receive my prayer.

And then he says in verse 10, you see

the same term that he uses, the Lord

will receive my prayer. Is that

prophetic implication? He's looking out

in the future that the Lord is going to

take hold of this. He says this in verse

10, "Let my enemies be ashamed and sore

vexed. let them return and be ashamed

suddenly. You know what? David had a lot

of people that were condemning him for

his actions. And we talked about this on

Wednesday night that it was evidently

some of David's sin with Ba Sheba on

through that period there when he

sinned. He sent Amnan. He he messed up

with Amnan, messed up with Abselum,

messed up over and over and over again

through those chapters. And you know

what? The enemies of God were

blaspheming because of what David had

done. And David had the condemnation of

his own people against him. Joab was a

thorn in his side. And I and there's a

lot of things that we could talk about

about this. But you know what David is

saying? David in this text, he's saying,

"Lord, I'm trusting that you're going to

take hold of this." He said, "You're

going to take hold of my problem." He

said, "But you're also going to take

hold of those that's pushing on me."

>> Amen.

>> I want to say this.

The enemy that you are facing right now

in your life may be there for your

growth.

Yes.

>> God may not be dealing with that problem

in the way that you think he ought to

be.

>> Yes.

>> Because it's the only thing that's

keeping you close to him.

>> Amen.

>> Now, I was thinking about this. You

know, we we we pray for answers. We pray

that God would would give us, you know,

an answer or strength to just wait for

his answer. I'll say this. Many times

around that situation, there's a bigger

circumstance, isn't there? there there's

there's more people involved and there's

more pressure involved more than just

the one thing you're praying for. But

you know what? Sometimes it's that

pressure on the outside that keeps your

focus on that prayer that God's wanting

you to keep praying.

>> And what you need to understand is is

that one of these days God's going to

fix the problem. He's going to fix what

you're praying about. But he's also

going to deal with the enemy

>> on the outside. You say, "Preacher, I

don't understand that." Well, if you've

ever been there, you do.

Because that pressure on the outside,

what it'll do is it'll drive you insane.

The problem's bad enough, but then you

got those people on the outside that's

poking at you.

[sighs]

>> So many instances I could think of, one

comes to my mind. You say, "Preacher,

illustrate that." You remember Jacob had

two wives, Rachel and Leah. Remember

Leah was praying for a child and uh

Bible says that Rachel constantly she

was Leah Lee would have children and and

it was a constant struggle. Rachel was

constantly burdened because Leah would

have a child, Rachel would have none.

Leah would have another child, Rachel

would have none. There was a constant

fight there. You remember Hannah in the

book of 1 Samuel, the Bible says, it

literally describes her this way in the

same manner. It says literally in the

text that her adversary, that was her

husband, Elcana's other wife, provoked

her sore. The problem was she couldn't

have a child. But you know what? His

other wife made it worse. Some of you

got a problem. The problem's bad enough,

but you got the enemy on the outside,

and what he's doing is he's just

steady every day pushing on you. You

know what you need to do? The same way

you've turned that problem over to the

Lord, you need to turn that punishment

over. and say, "God, I'm going to commit

this to you

>> because Lord, I sure can't fix the

problem. And Lord, if I put my hands on

that punishment, it might make the

problem worse."

>> Look what David says in the text. David

does not say, "I'm going to take my

enemies out." Now, what do we know about

David? David was a man of war, wasn't

he?

>> David could have took them out. David

had three mighty men that kill anybody

he wanted to at any point in time. But

you know what? Sometimes when you do

that, you just make problems worse.

Amen.

>> And so, you know what David does? He

does the only thing that he can do is

the one that his confidence is in for

that problem, he's going to give them

people around him to him, too. That's

right.

>> Some of you need to do that very same

thing.

Say, "What do you mean?" Well, I could

illustrate this tonight, but I'm not

going to do that. There's some people

I know that have got a very big problem.

Their their home, different things got

big problems. But here's what they get

upset about. Not about the problem, but

about the people around the problem. And

you know what they do? They end up

breaking off relationships

all around them

because

they've forgotten to pray about the

problem

>> because they too worried about fighting

with the people.

Here's what here's what you need to

remember. What you need to realize,

okay? Until you turn it all over, David

said this. You remember what he said? He

said, "God will receive." Notice that

he's going to take hold of it. But

sometimes it's going to take a while.

And so, you know what he does? He

doesn't speak to his enemies, but he

speaks before God and he says, "Let all

my enemies be ashamed. Lord, when you

get ready, would you deal with them?"

>> That's what you need to do.

>> You need to turn it over to him.

>> You will not have victory. You say,

"Preacher, what is it?" Well, it's the

sickness of sinfulness that brought

these enemies into his life. You realize

that? Yeah,

>> it's your sinfulness that makes you

think you have an enemy.

>> The only enemy we have is the devil.

>> David should not have had any enemies at

this point in time in his life because

he had won all the battles. But you know

what? He won all he defeated the

Philistines, defeated all the armies, he

was king, man. Everything was glorious.

And what does he do? He sends with Ba

Sheba. And then they just begins a

domino effect. David should have had no

enemy. Should have had no enemies that

even bothered him. But because of his

sin, that sickness came in and he had to

wait on God to deal with it. The man of

war could not fight this battle. Every

head bowed and every eye closed tonight.

Many of you got help on this truth

tonight that I've told you about your

problem.

But could it be that God's not dealing

with your problem

because

of those punishers around that problem

that you're angry at?

that you're fighting with, that you're

trying to grab by the neck and deal with

yourself.

Maybe it's time for you to let those

people

around the problem.

Maybe it's time for you to turn them

over to God just like you've turned the

problem over. I hear people all the

time, "Preacher, I'm just giving it to

God. Would you help me pray about it?"

But you but you see the bitterness.

You see the struggle in their eyes, in

their heart because the the situation

surrounding the big problem, they are so

focused on that

when really we just need to be praying

about the issue in the middle.

I'm going to say this tonight and I'll

be done.

Sin is truly a sickness.

And the best thing you and I can do

tonight is be honest before God about

where we're at. David is honest. You

say, "Preacher, I I don't see the enemy

in this text." Well, I want to remind

you of what he said. I think it's

important we see this.

David says his tears in this text. Look

what he says. Psalm number six. He says

his tears in this text. He said, "My

eyes consume because of grief. It waxeth

old because of all mine enemies."

His eyes are dried up from crying

not because of his problem,

but because of the people around his

problem. You see, David started this

psalm because of his sin. But you know

what? Part of the way through this

psalm, it revealed where his heart

really was.

He was struggling because of the people

around him.

But I tell you where it changed for

David is when he got his eyes off the

people and when he got his eyes off the

problem and he got his heart in a focus

of prayer and look toward the only

person that could do anything about any

of it. And he said this.

He said he hears the voice of my tears.

He hear he's heard every tear you've

cried.

Listen to me child of God. He has heard

every tear. He knows where all of them

landed. He knows why they come out of

your eyes. He knows the sleepless

nights. He knows the sorrow. And he's

heard your supplication. He's heard your

heavy heart. You can trust that. But let

me remind you tonight. David said he

will receive my prayer.

It could be you turning it over to him

tonight. Not just the problem, but the

enemy as well that gets God to really

take hold of your problem.

Father, I pray in Jesus name. The altars

are open tonight. Many have come more

than others need to come.

Lord, I realize this is where we're

living at.

And God, I'm thankful that Lord, from

what I see in our church, we have great

people, godly people, and Lord, the sin,

the sickness of sinfulness in their life

they're experiencing is because of other

people's failures.

And Lord, I realize God that that's

painful

because Lord, we feel like we've been

treated unfairly. God, we feel like we

deserve better. We feel like that we

could have been done differently.

But God, the truth is still the same,

Lord, until we get past the problem and

get past the people around that problem,

Lord, and make our prayer unto thee,

Lord, and only thee, and turn it over to

your will, God. You may never produce

the answer in our life.

But Lord, I know this. David was

confident,

Lord, that you are a prayer answering

God. And Lord, if there's anything we

know tonight, God, that's that you've

heard us.

Lord, I pray that each heart that comes

to this altar, Lord, would have the

divine confidence tonight that David

possessed,

God, that you have heard them. and Lord

that they can trust God that though Lord

you've heard them maybe tonight not

won't be the night God that you take it

maybe maybe it's going to be a while

Lord some of them's waited years God we

ask Lord humbly from our heart God that

you would you would you would speedy it

father we we pray you'd speed it up Lord

I I know there's many burdens God but

I'm I'm thinking Lord of some hearts

tonight that's heavy because of lost

loved ones and it seems as though they

lived their whole life in rejection of

the gospel And now they're getting close

to death's door.

And Lord, they're not turning to you.

LORD, WE ASK GOD, WHY?

LORD, we know that you'll never force

your will on anyone.

But God, we pray from our heart,

Lord, with a burden, Lord, that you

would take hold of them. [crying]

God, if it's hanging them out over hell,

God, whatever it takes, Lord, I pray,

God, you'd reach into their heart. Lord,

we know many that have broken homes and

families, GOD, THAT ARE DESIRING an

answer, but Lord, it seems as though

THERE IS NONE. GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU

WOULD HELP US ALL, LORD, TO FIND

CONFIDENCE and peace KNOWING THAT YOU'RE

LISTENING, THAT YOU love us, that you're

LOOKING GET WHAT'S BEST FOR US, BUT GOD,

we know that you may not handle it in

our time.

God, we may have to leave this world

before we ever see some prayers

answered.

God, I pray that you would help us to

trust, Lord, not just to trust the

process,

but God, to trust your presence,

Lord, as the songwriter said, when we

cannot trace your hand,

we can trust your heart.

And Lord, I pray you'd help us to do

just that. [music]

God, I pray for those that's been here

that's lost. God, it breaks my heart as

a pastor to see them enter this building

and walk out the same way. Lord, the

devil sold them a lie, a false bill of

goods,

told them that they're all right.

Told them that

they're okay. They don't need what that

preacher's offering. They don't need

that gospel.

Lord, I pray, Father, Lord, that you

would please open their eyes.

God, you told us in your word, the

Apostle Paul said, "If our gospel be

hid, it's hid to them that are lost."

God, in whom the God of this world hath

blinded the minds of them that believe

not, lest the light of the glorious

gospel of Christ should shine unto them.

Lord, I pray, Father, you would help us,

Lord, not to quit shining the light in

these days. I pray for every prayer

request that was made on this altar for

every burden. I pray, God, there was

help received tonight. Lord, I thank you

for the time together and we ask all of

this in Jesus name. And God's children

say it.

>> Amen.

>> Thank you for joining [music] our

service today. We'd love it if you join

us in person the next time you are

[music] able at Meadows Baptist Church.

Our physical address is 2988

Stewart [music] Road in Walnut Cove,

North Carolina. Our service times are

Sunday school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday

morning worship at [music] 11:00 a.m.,

Sunday evening worship at 6:00 p.m., and

Wednesday evening Bible study at 700

p.m. [music]

For more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for [music] tuning in.