God promises that even in the dry times that the Lord’s presence will be upon His people. David experienced this presence in those dry times. May we know the same.
Psalms 142: You Are My Refuge A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.
1 With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.
5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
Psalms 143: My Soul Thirsts for You A Psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge!
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
11 For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.
Psalms 144: My Rock and My Fortress Of David.
1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;
2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?
4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!
7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,
8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;
13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
Things to think about…
1. Ever felt like the world was against you? David in Ps 142 had King Saul against him and is hiding in a cave. Yet he finds time to pour out his soul to the Lord in this psalm. Often in times of doubt or fear, we are forced to turn to God. The Lord often brings us to a place where He is our only option. This is a mercy for the believer because the Lord is showing us that our trust needs to be in him and not ourselves. David says his enemies are “too strong for me”, vs 6. Saul had all the enemies power, David had 600 rebels. Going through deep valleys is the only way to experience His perfect care and presence. Look where David found it. In the presence of the righteous, vs 7. For us, that is when we gather corporately.
2. I can only remember a couple of times when I have been desperately thirsty. I praise God they have been rare times. I do not know what it is like to go without water for days. But this is exactly what David is describing in Psalm 143 except that his longing is not for water, his soul is thirsting after the Lord. David is in a desperate place, and He needs the Lord to answer him and surround him with His presence. Ever felt like that? Jesus says blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled, Mt 5:6. This is a promise. But in order to be filled there needs to be a hunger and a thirst first. If you don’t have this and you are content with your present spiritual lot then you are full. The problem is that we are generally full of ourselves and not full of the Lord. This is a vast, even an eternal difference.
3. David was constantly at war. As a result, the Lord does not allow him to build the temple because he was ‘a man of war’. In Psalm 144 David says that he needs deliverance from enemies, so that his life and family may be blessed Ps 144:10-15. Look at how it happens, vs 9, through a new song. Singing songs of praise to the Lord pulls down spiritual strongholds. We are of course in a battle. Eph 6 tells us to put on the full armour of God. Earlier in Ephesians in 5:19 it says that we should sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other and to the Lord. Jehoshaphat won a mighty battle because the people of God praised the Lord. Are you in need of Christ’s victory and blessing today? A good start is to sing a song of praise to your Maker and Deliverer.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Prayer points
1. Pray for the gospel and this week’s message - ‘The Mighty One of Jacob’ – Ps 132.
2. Pray for our Kids at Church ministry and the teachers
3. Pray for our Easter services.
4. Pray for Iran and the latest ceasefire agreement.
May the Iranian people see the prophesy of Jer 49:34-39 fulfilled over the coming weeks and months.
5. Pray for the Sacred Minds podcast – starting to come online.
6. Pray for One for Israel and their witness in this time of challenge and conflict.
7. Pray for the church in Australia that it focuses on Christ, His Word and holiness.
8. Pray for our leaders in Australia that they press in closer to Christ.
9. Pray the influence of Russia and China is minimised militarily.
10. The Royal Commission that the Jewish people will feel safe in Australia.
11. Conflict zones- Israel, Iran and Ukraine
12. Pray for new people to step into ministries at CBC – eg worship, café, sound/technical, giving, podcast.
13. Reform and Revival over our city and country.
14. Finances to cover our needs
15. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise God for the Lord’s blessing over our service on Sunday
2. Praise God for ministries – Life Groups, Prayer meetings, Kids@Church
3. Café team every week. Thankyou to all those who serve and bring food. Especially Fiona, Maddie and Suzy and those who supply it every week Eg Ros - Milk.
4. Worship, Admin and Technical teams – Peter, Nita, Brendon, AJ, Suzy, Maddie, Mathys, Doug.
5. Kids Church teachers – Jacqueline, Maddie, Elise, Anastacia and Fiona
6. The Lord’s faithfulness this year to CBC and all who have served in ministries
7. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Easter services – Easter Friday 3rd Apr – 9:00qm. Easter Sunday 5th Apr – 9:30am – Kids activities while the message is on.
2. Passion Play at Moogerah Dam – 28th March and Easter Weekend. Ladies and families welcome. Camping available.
3. Prayer meeting Wed 5:30pm at church. Life group begins at 6:30pm. Going through the book of Romans.
4. All Life Groups - Wednesdays.
5. Kids@Church especially our Easter program.
6. Mothers Day High tea celebration – Saturday morning, May 9th at Church.
7. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
8. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for March...
Q. 6. How could the Son of God suffer? A. Christ, the Son of God, became man that he might obey and suffer in our nature.
