TROUBLE

                                                     TROUBLE

    The 23rd Psalm is one verse of scripture I have used sparingly because it always has made me sad before I was glad. This Psalm begins describing the feelings of present or expected troubles, which never set a tone of gladness for me. If you get by the opening part of the verse, the sun (Son) comes out, and you can experience the joy of delivery. You might be battered by Satan, but you have victory. It may take a while for the wounds to heal, and there may be scars, but you have the victory.

    This message is for several readers in particular of my messages, but also for those of you who have problems I don't know about.  There are two ways this Psalm can be applied. For unsaved, some comfort may be discerned. For saved Christians, there may be an understanding of the scripture. For unsaved Christians, there may be no understanding. You do know there are many people who travel under the mantle of being saved, but who aren't real believers? If you are a troubled saved Christian, take heart, because you should know you aren't alone. The Holy Spirit is with you, and you will not be denied eternal life. What always saddened me was the prospect the Psalm could place on the troubled one who might face death or torture such as Christ endured.

    This last possibility may be very rare, but we see it happening more and more in the world, and now some of the United States justice system is suspect. When a brutal beating or death results from police action, no mention is made about Christianity or religion. So, there can be no claim that the victims are Christians. For that matter, the religion should not be considered, because Christ told us not to judge people and not to torture or murder people. I realize your trouble may not be this life threatening, but any kind of trouble does lead you into that valley mentioned in Psalms 23. There are more ways to die than just physically.

    If you are not saved, you see the first step to finding a solution to your trouble. It is not easy for a saved Christian to fully understand the Psalm until he/she is placed at the entrance to that valley. The first time is quite frightening, because although you have Christ's assurance, you still have fear. You see, I've been at the entrance to that valley more than once, so I know by experience. It's one thing to talk about it, and quite another to experience it. That's often why veterans won't talk about war experiences. They know of commitment and fear, even though they may not be Christians. The same may be true for people of other faiths who worship a supreme God, but who haven't accepted Christ. Although you have accepted Christ as your Savior, it doesn't mean God won't help or bless others. Remember, God brings sun and rain to all people (Matt. 5:45). Before we go further, let's look at Psalms 23.

    This Psalm was written by David, a man who was at this valley many,
many times. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to
lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters. He
restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His 
name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of  death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever."

    This may seem like just a bunch of words, and can be further  
discussed, but you are blessed as you read these words. God is
always with you if you just ask Him and have faith. Many of the people
who say they have faith, will know the truth when Christ judges them,
and tells them He never knew them (Matt. 7:23). God knows your
troubles and your heart. He is not mocked. He is just and has both a
plan and a reason. Every one of us is in His plan, but we must believe
and trust Him. 

    We make a mistake when we think we can personally solve all our
problems. If we could do that, we would be a god. If our best efforts
prove futile, it is wise to go back to the Comforter, the Holy Spirit that
Christ promised us when He left earth. When we pray in the Name of
our Savior and seek the expertise of the Holy Spirit, we have the full
power of God working for us. That's why denial of the Holy Spirit is
the only unpardonable sin (Matt. 12:31). You need God, the Father,
Jesus Christ, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If this is accepted by your
heart, you can expect help, even supernatural help if necessary. 
Mere words of acceptance won't do. It has to come from your heart.

    Notice the Psalm assures you your place at His table in the presence
of your enemies. They can't harm you, and although they have powers
given them by Satan, the Holy Spirit's power is limitless and overcomes
anything Satan attempts. Notice also that your cup overflows. Your
enemy or problem can't make you hurry, nor can they limit your food
and drink (your blessings). Don't act in haste because of fear. Think
about the patience of God in dealing with us sinners. If we have troubles,
He knows it. He may be using our enemies or tormentors to solve
multiple problems, and we are only some of the players. It may be
difficult, but we have to consider that having to pass through that
valley is a confidence God placed with us in His plan.

    Pray and believe. Satan will do his best to make you doubt God,
Christ and the Holy Spirit. Satan doesn't care about you except to
convince you to abandon God and join his army of lost and wicked
troops. If you think God's rules are tough, you don't want to know
Satan's. His rewards are great here on earth when he chooses them
to be, but his troops never have rest or peace. They are on 24 hour
duty with no vacations and no great future (unless you enjoy mental
and physical pain).

    As I write this, I pray for you, and I ask others on our lists to do
the same. While few people may know your trouble or problem, their
concern and prayer in belief are important. The sea was parted,
the wall of a city came down, battles were won, people were healed.
This all happened because of believer's prayers. There is no such
thing as coincidence. You may not understand why you are in your
present trouble, but you are not forgotten. Sometimes bad things
create a situation for good things. Remember, much of David's life
was spent traveling through the shadow valley. He survived and was
blessed to be part of God's great plan. You DO pass through that
valley, and you will learn much through that journey.

Rev. Walbear