Drawing Near: God's Presence in Our Struggles
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound truth that God longs to be close to us, especially in our struggles and hardships. Psalm 34 reminds us that He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We all face difficulties, and our natural tendencies often lead us to withdraw and isolate, hiding our weaknesses from others and even from God. However, God desires us to bring our brokenness to Him, to seek His presence and guidance.
David's approach in Psalm 5 offers a model for experiencing God's closeness during tough times. He begins by crying out to God, using words to express his groanings and meditations. This act of speaking to God is crucial, as it opens the door for genuine communication and intimacy. David's prayers are not just about words but about the posture of his heart, laying everything bare before God.
In the New Testament, we are reminded that as followers of Christ, we are new creations and temples of the Holy Spirit. This means we have the promise of God's presence with us always. David's prayer in Psalm 5:1-3 emphasizes the importance of starting our day with God, offering our sacrifices and watching expectantly for His response. This intentional time with God sets the tone for our entire day and life.
David's example teaches us to be transparent and vulnerable before God, to cry out to Him with our true feelings and needs. This honesty invites God's action and intervention in our lives. We are also reminded to prioritize our relationship with God above all else, seeking Him first and foremost.
In conclusion, God does not just equip us with tools and send us off; He walks with us intimately, desiring for us to experience His favor as a shield. By following David's example of prayer, sacrifice, and expectation, we can draw closer to God and experience His guidance and protection in our lives.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Nearness in Hardship: God longs to be close to us in our struggles. Psalm 34 assures us that He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. This nearness is not just a comforting thought but a profound reality that we can experience if we bring our brokenness to Him. [03:59]
2. Transparency in Prayer: David's approach in Psalm 5 teaches us the importance of being transparent and vulnerable before God. Using words to express our true feelings and needs opens the door for genuine communication and intimacy with God. This honesty invites God's action and intervention in our lives. [12:09]
3. Morning Sacrifice: Starting our day with God, as David did, sets the tone for our entire day. Offering our sacrifices and watching expectantly for God's response is an intentional act that aligns our hearts with His will. This practice can change the trajectory of our lives by keeping us focused on God's presence and guidance. [25:08]
4. Exclusive Devotion: David's declaration, "For to you do I pray," emphasizes the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God above all else. In a world full of distractions, we must intentionally seek God first and foremost, giving Him our undivided attention and devotion. [18:35]
5. God's Guidance Through Hardship: God does not always remove our suffering, but He equips us to endure and guides us through it. David's prayer for God's righteousness to lead him highlights the importance of seeking God's direction and trusting His faithfulness to complete what He starts in our lives. [42:47]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[03:59] - God's Nearness in Hardship
[05:24] - New Creation in Christ
[06:55] - Psalm 5: David's Prayer
[08:36] - Personal Testimony of God's Closeness
[10:23] - David's Approach to Prayer
[12:09] - Transparency in Prayer
[15:06] - Crying Out to God
[17:51] - Exclusive Devotion to God
[19:13] - Communication with God
[21:16] - Righteousness of God
[23:54] - Living in Obedience
[25:08] - Morning Sacrifice
[28:47] - Guarding Morning Time with God
[30:42] - Intentional Time with God
[31:41] - Sacrificial System and Show Bread
[36:47] - Expectant Watching
[37:46] - Prayer as Key of the Day
[38:27] - Humility Before God
[39:39] - Intimacy with God
[42:47] - God's Guidance Through Hardship
[44:55] - Invitation to Surrender to Jesus
[46:01] - Call to Recommitment
[48:36] - Invitation to Baptism
[49:06] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
2. Psalm 5:1-3 - "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch."
3. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
### Observation Questions
1. According to Psalm 34:18, who is the Lord close to, and what does He do for them?
2. In Psalm 5:1-3, what actions does David take to seek God's presence and guidance?
3. What does 2 Corinthians 5:17 say about those who are in Christ? How does this relate to the concept of being a new creation?
4. In the sermon, what are some natural tendencies people have when facing hardships? [03:59]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the promise of God's nearness in Psalm 34:18 provide comfort during times of hardship? [03:59]
2. What does David's approach to prayer in Psalm 5:1-3 teach us about the importance of transparency and vulnerability before God? [12:09]
3. How does the concept of being a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) influence our understanding of God's presence in our lives? [05:24]
4. Why is it significant that David starts his day with God, and how can this practice impact our daily lives? [25:08]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent hardship you faced. Did you feel God's nearness during that time? How can Psalm 34:18 encourage you to seek His presence in future struggles? [03:59]
2. David was transparent and vulnerable in his prayers. How can you practice this kind of honesty in your own prayer life? What might be holding you back from being fully open with God? [12:09]
3. Starting the day with God can set the tone for the entire day. What specific steps can you take to prioritize morning time with God, even if your schedule is busy? [25:08]
4. In what ways do you find yourself seeking comfort or guidance from sources other than God (e.g., social media, friends, self-help books)? How can you shift your focus to seek God first? [18:35]
5. Think about a time when you felt distant from God. What actions did you take, or could you take, to restore that intimacy? How does David's example in Psalm 5:1-3 inspire you to approach God differently? [19:13]
6. How can you remind yourself daily that you are a new creation in Christ? What practical steps can you take to live out this identity, especially during challenging times? [05:24]
7. David watched expectantly for God's response after offering his sacrifices. How can you cultivate a sense of expectation and trust in God's faithfulness in your own life? [37:46]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Nearness in Hardship
God longs to be close to us in our struggles. Psalm 34 assures us that He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. This nearness is not just a comforting thought but a profound reality that we can experience if we bring our brokenness to Him. When we face difficulties, our natural tendencies often lead us to withdraw and isolate, hiding our weaknesses from others and even from God. However, God desires us to bring our brokenness to Him, to seek His presence and guidance. By doing so, we open ourselves to His healing and comfort, experiencing His closeness in a tangible way. [03:59]
Psalm 34:18-19 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."
Reflection: Think of a recent hardship you have faced. How can you bring your brokenness to God today and seek His presence in the midst of your struggle?
Day 2: Transparency in Prayer
David's approach in Psalm 5 teaches us the importance of being transparent and vulnerable before God. Using words to express our true feelings and needs opens the door for genuine communication and intimacy with God. This honesty invites God's action and intervention in our lives. David begins by crying out to God, using words to express his groanings and meditations. This act of speaking to God is crucial, as it opens the door for genuine communication and intimacy. David's prayers are not just about words but about the posture of his heart, laying everything bare before God. [12:09]
Psalm 5:1-3 (ESV): "Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch."
Reflection: What are the true feelings and needs you have been hiding from God? Take a moment to be transparent and vulnerable in your prayer today.
Day 3: Morning Sacrifice
Starting our day with God, as David did, sets the tone for our entire day. Offering our sacrifices and watching expectantly for God's response is an intentional act that aligns our hearts with His will. This practice can change the trajectory of our lives by keeping us focused on God's presence and guidance. David's prayer in Psalm 5:1-3 emphasizes the importance of starting our day with God, offering our sacrifices and watching expectantly for His response. This intentional time with God sets the tone for our entire day and life. [25:08]
Psalm 5:3 (ESV): "O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch."
Reflection: How can you intentionally start your day with God tomorrow? What specific steps will you take to offer your morning as a sacrifice to Him?
Day 4: Exclusive Devotion
David's declaration, "For to you do I pray," emphasizes the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God above all else. In a world full of distractions, we must intentionally seek God first and foremost, giving Him our undivided attention and devotion. This exclusive devotion to God is crucial for experiencing His guidance and protection in our lives. By prioritizing our relationship with God, we align our hearts with His will and open ourselves to His transformative work in our lives. [18:35]
Psalm 5:7 (ESV): "But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you."
Reflection: What distractions are currently hindering your exclusive devotion to God? How can you intentionally seek God first and foremost in your daily life?
Day 5: God's Guidance Through Hardship
God does not always remove our suffering, but He equips us to endure and guides us through it. David's prayer for God's righteousness to lead him highlights the importance of seeking God's direction and trusting His faithfulness to complete what He starts in our lives. By following David's example of prayer, sacrifice, and expectation, we can draw closer to God and experience His guidance and protection in our lives. God walks with us intimately, desiring for us to experience His favor as a shield. [42:47]
Psalm 5:8 (ESV): "Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need God's guidance through hardship? How can you seek His direction and trust His faithfulness today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The Lord longs to be close to you in your struggle. Do you believe that he does? He longs to be close to you in your struggle, in whatever difficulty, hardship, hard time, brokenness. He longs to be close to you. Psalm 34 tells us that he is close to the brokenhearted and that he heals those, saves those who are crushed in spirit. He longs to be close to you." (26 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If you surrendered your life to Jesus, you have confessed your brokenness and your sin before him, and you've given your life to him, then you are a born again, new creature in Christ, not a better version or a clean version of an old self, but you're a new creation. And as a new creation, the word says, that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit." (20 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Imagine if the very first thing we did in the morning was we gave him our attention and our affection. And we received from him his attention and affection. Imagine that. Think about it. Would change the trajectory of your life. Because it would change your day. Which would change your week. Which would change your month. Which would change your year. Would change your decade. It would change the trajectory of your life." (31 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The Lord wants to hear what you think, what you feel, what you are experiencing. And then as you give your words to his ear, and then after a while you shut up and you listen to what his words have to say for your ears, you will experience a change in your life." (20 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "He does not always remove your suffering, but he equips you in it. He does not always deliver you from your strife, but he will enable you in the midst of it. He is faithful to complete what he starts." (18 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "David in Psalm 5 shows us this picture of what it means to experience the closeness of God in the midst of a hardship and of a struggle. So I want to tell you, open your Bible to Psalm 5. We're going to go there and we're going to look at this experience that David has. And there's a transferability, meaning that it's applicable to you today, right now, right here. And it's even sweeter than this in Psalm 5 because we live in the New Testament. We live under the covenant of the blood of Jesus Christ. We live promised, not just, not promised, just the help of God, but also the presence of God in our lives as Christ followers." (20 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "David says, 'Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning, you hear my voice. In the morning, I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.' For you are not a God who delights in wickedness. Evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes. You hate all evil doers. You destroy those who speak lies. The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies. Make your way straight before me." (53 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Our righteousness is not even something or the righteousness of the Lord is not something we have to be led in anymore. The righteousness of God is something that's been given to you because in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21, Paul wrote to the church and he said it is he who knew no sin that became sin. So that in him, the person of Jesus, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We are to be in constant communication with our words, with our groans, and with our cries. We are also to be a people that are willing to lay our sacrifice before him. Verse 3, he says, 'O Lord, in the morning, you hear my voice. In the morning, I prepare a sacrifice for you and I watch.' The verse 3, think about this. Let me talk about the morning first. This is in the morning. Can you say morning? Yeah, in the morning." (32 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The Lord wants intimacy with you. We are to be in constant communication with our words, with our groans, and with our cries. We are also to be a people that are willing to lay our sacrifice before him. Verse 3, he says, 'O Lord, in the morning, you hear my voice. In the morning, I prepare a sacrifice for you and I watch.' The verse 3, think about this. Let me talk about the morning first. This is in the morning." (32 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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