Psalm 73 Good things/Bad people

Why do bad things happen to good people?

1.       No one is good, except God. Mark 10:18

2.       We are all sinners.

3.       Prosperity, good health, good relationships, are all results of obedience to God – Wrong!

Sometimes bad things happen as a consequence to sin or unwise choices.

Sometimes things happen that seem bad, but are not really bad when you look at the long view.

Sometimes we walk through difficult circumstances so that God can be Glorified.

John 9. Read 1-9.

Was it mean for God to make this man bear blindness for many years, just so that He could cause a controversy with the Jews?

V13-41 Read

Jesus used this encounter to give sight to the blind man and force the Pharisees to see who He was.

They chose not to acknowledge his Deity.

How do we handle the “bad things” that come our way?

1.       Is it the result of sin? Is God punishing us?

2.       Is this something that God us using to bring Glory to Himself?

a.       Yes – recognize it

b.      Not sure – Trust in His goodness Mark 10:18.

Psalm 34 - David in despair

Have you ever heard of the saying, Praise your way out of despair?

1 Samuel 16:7-13 – David Anointed to be King.

What do you think was going through David’s mind during that ceremony?

How do you think he visualized his ascent to the throne?

1 Samuel 17:41-54 David Kills Goliath

VICTORY! How do you think this event fit into David’s idea of how he would become king?

Was he saying, “I love it when a plan comes together”.

1 Samuel 18:20-30 David Marries Michal, Saul’s Daughter

One more step in the process. Marrying the King’s daughter. Not only that – she loved him.
David then goes through a long series of events – 15 years worth – where he flees Saul. He comes back, then leaves, multiple times. His ascent to the throne of Israel is looking pretty shaky. He goes through trial after trial. The passage below is one of the lowest of the low points.

1 Samuel 21:10-end and 22:1-2.- The bottom falls out – David flees Saul.

This is about the time David writes Psalm 34. He is in the pit of trouble. For many of us, despair would beat us down to a pulp. Let’s read this Psalm.

Psalm 34.

·         It is an acrostic with all but the last verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

·         V7 The angel of the Lord – the Pre-incarnate Christ. Camping around those who fear Him.

o   HA - Card

 Does praising God in time of trouble help? Why? How?

What do these verses claim that God can and will do?

·         Interesting side note: senses used

V5  looked

V8 Taste

11 Listen

V12 see

V13 tounge (taste) Speaking (hearing)

V15 eyes of the lord, ears open

Psalm 23

David pictures the Lord in the role of shepherd. What did the ancient shepherd do?

Is there a modern equivalent to the shepherd for us?

Like many of the Psalms, David is praying in a way that acknowledges God’s goodness, regardless of his current circumstances. This is the perfect prayer to pray when we are nowhere near green pastures or quiet waters. This prayer helps to remind us that God is loving, caring, and generous even when our circumstances would shout otherwise in our ear.

Verbs – V2,3

Makes me lie down

Leads me

Restores

Guides

V6. We can be sure of God’s love for us.

How can we experience the certainty of dweling in the house of the Lord forever?