Get Your Outlook From Your Uplook

In Psalm 42 & 43, it is easy to see that the psalmist was very discouraged.  Discouragement and depression is something that affects everyone at some time or another.  I preached this morning from these two chapters; about what we need to do when we face discouragement and depression.


Remembers, even great men of God such as Moses, Elijah and Jeremiah faced discouragement.  If they faced it, then it should not be a surprise when we do, too.  So, how can we avoid living in depression?


1. Stop Looking At "YOURSELF" & Start Looking A "GOD".
There are 51 personal pronouns the psalmist uses all throughout these two chapters.  Words like "I", "me" and "my."  He had gotten to the place where all he thought about was himself!  Do you know anyone like that?


God just might be allowing that trial in your life to get your eyes back on Him.  Therefore, the most important thing about your trial is not "THAT" you get out of it, but "WHAT" you get out of it.


2. Stop Looking At the "PAST" & Start Looking At the "FUTURE."
There is nothing wrong with looking at the past, as long as you see God in your past.  But we should not let our past define our present and especially our future!


3. Stop Searching For "PREMISES" and Start Resting On His "PROMISES."
Some people cannot move forward because they are waiting for God to answer all their questions.  Just because God has all the answers doesn't mean He is obligated to share them with us!


In fact, there are a couple of reasons God may chose NOT to give you an answer:

• Sometimes, answers only lead to more questions. -- God knows that even if He answered your question, you would still not be satisfied.
• Sometimes, the ANSWERS can hurt more than the QUESTIONS! -- it might hurt more to know the truth which might be that our sin is what caused the mess we are in!

Just keep your eyes on Jesus.  Circumstances will let your down.  People will let your down.  But God's Word will NEVER fail you!

What Is Your Answer?

There comes a point in everyone’s life when they must answer the question “What will I do with Jesus Christ?”

Elijah, up on Mount Carmel, gathered all the false prophets of Baal together along with all of Israel and said in 1 Kings 18:21,  “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him...”

They were undecided and they needed to make a decision.  The heathen there needed to decide between accepting the true God or rejecting the true God.  But interestingly, the heathen were not the only people to whom Elijah was speaking.  Verse 19 says that all of Israel was gathered there as well.

See, the question was to Israel, too.  They were just as guilty at times of mixing worship of idols with worship to the true God and Elijah was saying to them, “How long are you going to ride the fence?  It is time, now, to stop this nonsense and make a choice.  Either follow the true God or go follow Baal, but you can’t follow both!”

Sadly, we see the very same thing, today.  How many professing Christians do you know who go Monday through Saturday basically worshipping some idol in their life; something that is more important to them than God is.  Then on Sunday (if they even bother to show up at all) they come to church to worship Jesus Christ.

The question to them is the same, “How long halt ye between two opinions?”  Decide, today, to follow the LORD with all your heart, soul and mind.

Are You Flying First Class?

Rom 8:5  "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." 


When a person trusts Christ as their Savior, it is like a person boarding a plane.  Everyone who has a ticket can board the plane but you can either choose to fly economy or first class.


Now, everyone on that flight is going to the same destination and will get there the same time.  But on every flight there are some who will enjoy their trip more than others.


Likewise, there are many who have trusted Christ as their Savior but because they are living in the flesh, they are not enjoying their Christian life like those who are living after the Spirit.


“What’s the difference” you ask?  It is a difference between life and death!  Rom 8:6  "For to be carnally minded is death...”  Every thing a carnal believer touches will bring the kiss of death to it!  He may be a Sunday School teacher, but if he is a carnal believer, his class will be dead.  They may sing specials, but if they are carnal, their singing will only be filled with fleshly emotions but will be void of the Holy Spirit’s power.


On the other hand, Paul says, (v.6b) “but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”  In other words, just the opposite is also true.  You take a spirit-controlled teacher and put him in a dead class and he will bring life to it.


One of the greatest hindrances to the cause of Christ is when the world sees a believer living and acting like the world.  No wonder Paul goes on to say in (v.8) “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”


I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to settle for being an economy-class Christian, I’m ready to fly first class!