SO, WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Psalm 145, verses 14-21 are the text for the message, but I want to take the time to read the entire chapter, because it holds so many wonderful truths.  Psalm 145 is perhaps one of my favorite Psalms.  And if you’ll notice, it is entitled, “David’s Psalm of Praise!”  So, we can gather from this Psalm that not only was David the author of it, but he took a particular pleasure in this Psalm.  I believe it was a Psalm that was close to David’s heart.  David begins by saying:

Verse 1, : I will extol thee, my God, O King;  Extol means “to Lift up, to set on high, to exalt.”  I will extol thee, my God, O King; And I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.  I like the way David starts out.  He just says, “God, I want to lift you up.  God I want to praise you.  God I just want you to know how wonderful you are to me.”

Verse 2, “Every day (EVERY DAY) will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.  ³ Great is the Lord, (Now it just seems like David is starting to pick-up momentum here and I can almost hear his voice rising as he praises the Lord).  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.  ⁴ One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.  ⁵ I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.  ⁶ And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: (that word terrible here means awesome or wondrous acts) and I will declare thy greatness. ⁷ They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.  ⁸ The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy (aren’t you glad for that Amen?).  ⁹ The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.  ¹⁰ All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. ¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;  ¹² To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.  ¹³ Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.”

And now we pick up our text in verse 14, “ The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.  ¹⁵ The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.  ¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.  ¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.  ¹⁸ The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.  ¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.  ²⁰ The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.  ²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

David begins this Psalm by praising God and lifting Him up, and as the Psalm goes along, the momentum keeps rising and rising into this crescendo of God is an awesome God, and David is recognizing the wondrous acts God has performed in his life.  He recognizes how gracious and compassionate God is and how He “upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.  And he ends the Psalm by saying, “and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

• This truly is a Psalm of Praise;
• This truly is a Psalm of Exhaltation;
• This truly is a Psalm of how great and compassionate our God is.

But I want to pick out the last few verses of this Psalm and ask you an Ice Breaker Question:  “WHAT DO YOU NEED?”  I want to show you how you and I can find strength when we are weak, how you and I can find encouragement in the hard times, in the weak times of our lives.

Does it ever seem to you in your Christian life that you lay on the ground in defeat more than you stand on your feet in victory?  I think we all go through times like that in our lives where it seems the devil is always getting the best of us.

We have all experienced those times in our Christian lives where we just seemed weak.  Jesus recognized we would have those periods of time when He said in Matthew 26:41, “The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”

• And you and I understand that;
• You and I have been through those times when we’ve been weak;
• You and I know what it is when the “spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Now how is it that you and I can find encouragement in those times in our lives?  How can you and I find Courage when we are Discouraged?  How can you and I find strength when we are weak?

The Bible was written for humanity, so we can assume the Bible was written for the weak, the fallible and the helpless.  He Bible is full of stories where great people of God had moments of weakness:

• Abraham, the Father of all nations, lied to the Pharoah of Egypt;
• Isaac, Abraham’s son, follow in his footsteps and made some of the same mistakes;
• Jacob, was deceiptful and shallow at times,
• Moses lost his temper;
• Job wrestled with pride;
• Elijah had a bout with self-pity.
• Samson laid his head in the Lap of Delilah and got a haircut in the devil’s barbershop;
• David took a coffee break on the rooftop of lust.

Yet the Bible tells us, Abraham was the friend of God; Moses lead God’s people out of bondage from Egypt; Job was a man who was perfect and upright, David was a man after God’s own heart – and yet these great men of God had moments of great weakness in their lives.

And the Bible is full of story after story of how great people had great weaknesses.  A large portion of the Bible is written to fallible, discouraged and weak people.

Can I say that although my God is “set on high,” although my God is above all, and my God is all-powerful, He is an awfully big God, I’m glad that when God looks at my humanity, when God looks at my weaknesses, I’m glad He doesn’t get mad about it but He takes the time to show me grace, and compassion and tender mercies.

Psalm 103:13, 14 says, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  ¹⁴ For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

• I’m glad that God knows I’m human;
• I’m glad that God understands my frame;
• I’m glad that God knows there are times in my life when I’m discouraged;
• I’m glad that God understands there are times when I am weak.
• I’m glad that He understands that He formed me out of dirt;
• And I’m glad He doesn’t expect much more out of me than He expects out of dirt!

“For He knoweth our frame, and He remembereth that we are dust.”

The promises that God gives us in His Word, are not given to us to do willfully what is wrong, for we are “not to use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh,” But these promises are for those that are striving and fighting for what is good and what is right, even though at times we may falter and fail and be bowed down.

• There are times in our Christian lives when we are bowed down;
• There are times when we do falter;
• There are times when we do fail;
• There are times when we are discouraged;
• There are times when we are weak;
• There are times when we are broken;
• There are times when we are in the valley;
• There are times when we feel are prayers aren’t being heard.

But I’m glad that God is not only my God when I’m on the mountaintop, or when I am strong, or just when I feel like am being successful in my walk – But I’m glad He’s my God in my weak times as well.

I’m glad that we have the promise in His Word, that, “The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

So for just a few minutes, let me lay out some truths from this passage that I believe will help us when we go through these hard times in our lives.

THERE IS A PROMISE TO HOLD YOU.

Verse 14, “The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

As you and I are travelling along in our Christian lives, trying to live righteously, trying to live for God, and trying to be “A light set on a hill,” there are times that we falter and fail, times when we fall, times when we are weak.  But GOD NEVER DOES!

• I’m glad that when I fall – God does not fall;
• I’m glad that when I fail – God does not fail;
• I’m glad that when I am discouraged – God is not discouraged;
• I’m glad that when I am weak – God is not weak.

“The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

I’m glad that God’s love for me never fails and He promises to Hold me when I do!

Notice God’s Sovereignty in the Fall – “THE LORD.”

Verse 14 begins with the words THE LORD.  That means He is sovereign, He is all knowing.  He is in control of everything that happens in this universe.  Even though God doesn’t want you and I to stumble, and fall, I’m glad that when we do, He can take our failures, or weaknesses and use them as part of His Sovereign plan.

Sometimes there is a Directing Purpose in our Fall

Sometimes God has a direction He wants us to go, but we decide we want to go our way, so God allows us to go and have our legs taken out from under us.  And as we are laying there looking up in the face of an Almighty God he then says tenderly, “Now will you listen to me and go the way I want you to go?”

Sometimes there is a Delaying Purpose in our fall

Sometimes we are going full speed for God.  We are moving too fast, we are going wide-open and sometimes God has to slow us down a little, so He will allow us to fall.  Sometimes we move so fast we don’t have time to listen to God.   You and I can get to going along so fast sometimes that we can miss some things that are important.

God has a Sovereign Purpose in the Fall.  Failures build character.  It is through our failures and weakness that you and I learn to rely on God.

Notice God’s Stability in the Fall – “The LORD upholdeth all that fall . . .”

When we stumble and stagger – I’m glad God is sure and stable.  I’m glad we have somebody to turn to, somebody to lean on in our times of weakness.  There’s somebody alongside of us, somebody to help us.  And although He is there with us to hold us up, sometimes we fall.  But thank God we don’t have to stay there.

Anybody ever watch wrestling?  One wrestler will get the other on the matt, and when both shoulders hit the matt, they begin a 3 count.  The only way you could lose the match was to be counted out.  As long as you were able to keep one shoulder up, you were still in the match.  The only way to lose was to stay down for the count.

That’s how it is in our Christian lives.  We are going to stumble and fall sometimes, but the only way we are going to lose is if we stay down.

Notice God’s Strength in the Fall – “and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

You see Disappointment does not mean wrecked!  God is in the disappointment.  We may go through times when we disappoint ourselves, when we disappoint our families, when we disappoint one another – But God’s desire is not to raise up you and your sin, but to raise YOU up out of your sin, out of your failure, out of your disappointment, and to make you something for Him in-spite of your weakness!  God’s grace is not a license for us to fall, but it is good to know that when we do falter, when we do fall, His strength is there to pick us back up.

Sometimes it is after our fall that God does the greatest work in our lives.

• Samson – did more in the last moments of his life than he did his entire life combined.
• David – even after committing adultery and murder was still a man after God’s own heart;
• Peter – denied Christ 3 times, yet 40 days later turned his world upside down for the cause of Christ and thousands were saved on the day of Pentecost;
• John Mark – disappointed Paul on an early missionary journey and Paul had no use for him from that point on. But in Paul’s last letter, he instructed Timothy, “And bring John Mark with you, for he is profitable for the ministry.”

The devil may have convinced some of you here today that your sin was to great, you fell to hard, God has no use for you – but I’m telling you, your best days for the LORD may just be ahead.

I’m glad that because Satan desires to Sift us, the Savior is there Interceding for us.  I’m glad we have somebody to go to.

I don’t think we should ever let a fall keep us down – I think that would be an insult to the Power of God.  I think it would be a poor testimony before the world.

“The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

I’m glad there is a Promise to Hold Me.

THERE IS A PRESENCE TO HELP ME

Verse 18 says, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

What a Promise Amen.  Not only does God promise to Hold you, but He promises to Hear you every time you call.

God wants us to know that He is going to be there when we need Him time and time again.  Let me show you two things in this verse:

His Close Abiding- “THE LORD is nigh.”

The word “nigh” is a synonym of the word “near.”  And I often wonder why God just doesn’t use the word near, and I think it is because this word also has a different meaning.

You could say that everybody in this room is near to me, because you are in close proximity to me.  But not everyone is nigh to me.  Nigh also means “within reach.”  So, though everyone here today is near to me – no one is nigh to me – EXCEPT ONE.

And what a joy, what a privilege, what a promise that God is within reach!  “The LORD is nigh.”  He is close by – He is within reach!

I can’t get the Apostle Peter off my mind lately.  We all know how Peter denied Christ 3 times before the cock crowed.  We all read how that when they brought Jesus out, he look upon Peter – he didn’t say a word – He just looked at him.  We know how that Peter ran out an wept bitterly.

Can I tell you what I think that look said?

“Peter, I know you failed, I know you faltered, I know you messed up – But Peter, you don’t know it right now, but very soon – you are going to turn your world upside down.  So Peter, I just want you to know that I will be with you, I will be in close proximity, I will be in arms reach!  PETER, I WILL BE NIGH TO YOU!”

• You going through a rough time in your walk?
• You going through the fiery furnace in your life right now?
• You having troubles in your Christian life?

Reach Out! Because the LORD is nigh!”  He is within reach!

His Constant Attention- “THE LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him.”

I’m glad that God hears me when I pray.  There is a promise that God will constantly be attentive to our prayers.  He is aware of our needs and He knows how to meet our needs.  God is constantly attentive to what is going on in my life.  Because, “The LORD is nigh unto all who call upon Him.”

• So when we fall;
• And when we fail;
• And when we struggle;
• And when we are weak,

There is a God who says, “I am within reach and I am constantly attentive to your needs.”

I remember my daddy teaching me how to ride a bicycle.  I remember starting out with training wheels, trying to get the feel of how the pedals worked.  Once I did that, the training wheels came off.  I remember as I started pedaling down the Drive way for the first time without training wheels, my daddy had his hand on my seat keeping me steady until I got the hang of it and then at some point, he let go and I was pedaling on my own.  But daddy stayed close by to catch me if I fell.

As I started getting the hang of it, daddy went and sat on the porch (he didn’t go inside), he stayed where he could watch me.  And every time I fell, He would come flying off that porch to help me get back up.

Isn’t that how God is?

There is a Promise to Hold You – “The LORD upholdeth all that fall”

There is a Presence to Help You – He is close at hand and attentive to your needs

THERE IS A PROVISION YO HEARTEN YOU

I like that word hearten.  It means to “inspire,” to “encourage.”  Look at a few of these verses with me for just a moment:

“¹⁵ The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.  ¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.  ¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

Now verse  ¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.  ²⁰ The Lord preserveth all them that love him:”

God is there to provide for us on our journey.  He is there to inspire us, to encourage us on our life’s journey.  He said:

• When you are weak, “I will be there to hold you up.”
• When you fall, “I will be there to pick you back up.”
• And for the rest of my journey, He is going to be nigh, just a call away.

Notice two things in these verses.

A Supply of my needs – “Thou givest them their meat in due season”

I read a commentary this morning that made a statement that blew me away.  He said “He that feeds the birds will not starve His children.”

You and I can trust that God is going to supply our need in due season.  Refreshment, encouragement, nourishment – all are on the list of needs He supplies.

• Do you need encouragement today? – There is a Provision to Hearten You
• Do you need Refreshment for your soul? – There is a Provision
• Do you need to be Nourished? – There is a Provision

What is it this morning that you need?  God said He will “supply all your needs.”

But not only is there a Supply of my Needs, there’s a:

A Satisfaction of my Desires – “¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing”

Now, this goes beyond the things that we need, and starts getting into some things that we want.  Things that we desire God to do in our lives.  God is saying here, “Not only can I supply your needs, but I can also Satisfy your desires – because everything you want or need can be found in Me!”

Now, if my “want” is not in His will, He has the power to change my “want.”  But if our “want” is what God wants for us in our lives, then God said He’s going to give it to ya.

There is a Provision to Hearten.  What is it that you desire God to do in your life today?

Conclusion:  So, here we are, we are riding down the road of life, and we get a flat tire.  Who do we go to too get it fixed?  We’re riding along and the chain comes off – who do we run to too get it fixed?

God said, I will Hold you, I will pick you up when you fall.  I’m going to be right there with you, and I’m gonna provide for you.  What do you need?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to Extol you, to lift you up on high, to exalt you, to set you above all others.  To think that a God that is set above all would take the time to come so low to meet us where we are is one of the greatest acts of Grace I can think of.  Thank you O God for thinking of us; Thank You for loving us; Thank You for meeting us where we are, and God thank You for leading to where You want us to be, in Jesus Name – Amen!