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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000639S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:04 Sermon #B639 - Misery Loves Company 00:20 Pastor Byrd: Go to Psalm 57. Psalm 57. And I want to read quickly this psalm to you. Psalm 57. 00:30 And I'm going to read from the King James version of the Bible, Psalm 57. 00:35 The word of God says, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: 00:42 yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. 00:48 " Everybody say, "Overpast."Congregation: Overpast 00:50 "I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, 00:57 and save me from reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. 01:04 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, 01:10 even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword. 01:17 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens let thy glory be above all of the earth. 01:22 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, 01:29 into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves." David says, "My heart is fixed, O God, 01:36 my heart is fixed and I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; awake psaltery and harp. 01:41 I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: 01:45 I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, 01:49 and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: 01:56 let thy glory be above all the earth." Today, I just want to speak with you quickly on the subject 02:02 misery loves company. Misery loves company. 02:08 One of the most dangerous thing to do when you're feeling down, depressed 02:12 and distressed is to hang around other people who are down, distressed and depressed. 02:19 Do I have a witness in this place? Because when you're depressed 02:22 and other people are hanging around you are depressed, everybody's going to be depressed. 02:28 It's dangerous to surround yourself with depressed people because misery loves company 02:36 and they're negative, sad, unhappy, gloomy, cheerless, dismal, despondent, dejected, 02:45 depressed spirit is contagious. For example, in the physical, if you're around sick people long enough, 02:53 you'll start being sick. What am I talking about? You can be in a room where someone who's throwing up, 02:59 who can't keep anything on their stomach and then all of a sudden, you're stomach feels bad too. 03:05 Somebody else can have a cold and then in a couple of minutes, you'll start coughing too. 03:11 That's why everybody's worried about this measles epidemic because when you're exposed to sickness, 03:17 you can get sick. Are you hearing what I'm saying? And just like physical sickness is contagious, 03:23 spiritual, social and emotional sickness is also contagious. 03:29 It's important that you are around people who are positive. 03:33 Everybody say, "Positive."Congre gation: Positive. 03:34 Because if everybody else around you is sick or angry or depressed or miserable, 03:39 it creates a social system of dysfunction where all of a sudden the abnormal appears normal. 03:48 But you don't need to be around negative people. You can do bad by yourself. 03:53 If you're depressed, you don't need to be around depressed people. 03:56 If you're negative, you don't need to be around negative people. 04:00 If you're miserable, you don't need to be around miserable people. 04:04 And as I get older, I'm learning as a parent that it's not only important for Danielle 04:10 and myself to hang around positive influence but it's also important now for me that our 04:15 children hang around positive influences. In fact, I would dare to say 04:20 and suggest that it's very important that you orchestrate the people your children hang around. 04:25 I want my kids to see the bright side of life, not the dark side of life. 04:30 Are you hearing what I'm saying, everybody? Congregation: Yes. 04:32 But then there are devil's advocates who suffer from pity parties 04:37 and misery meetings will say something like doesn't the Bible teach us to mourn with those that mourn 04:44 and bear one another's burdens? But don't misrepresent the word of God. 04:49 Yes, the Bible does say that but to be mourn and to be miserable are two different things. 04:56 Jesus did weep for Lazarus. Jesus did mourn for Lazarus but Jesus didn't become hopeless. 05:05 I wish I had a witness in this place. Because despite his mourning, despite his tears, 05:11 he was still able to say I am the resurrection and the life. Let me tell you something today. 05:18 Even the most spiritual people in the world will face trouble. Even saints will face pain. 05:26 The rain falls on the just and the unjust. Bad things happen to good people. 05:32 Don't believe all this prosperity preaching. Five ways to this. Seven ways to that. 05:38 Yes, God wants us to prosper and do well according to 3 John 2, but John 16:33 also says, 05:46 "In this world, you will have tribulation." Which means you're going to have some trials. 05:52 You're going to have some tests. You will have some tribulations but the good news is we will overcome. 06:01 A lot of people have quit the church. They have quit Jesus thinking every day we're be going to crisis-free, 06:09 cancer free, burden free and trial free and when it doesn't happen, they get mad. 06:16 But you better think again. You got to go through the fire to come out as pure of gold. 06:22 Because it's after I've been beaten, after I've been banished, after I've been bruised, 06:30 after I've been talked about, that's when I really know how to praise the Lord. 06:36 That's when I really know how to worship the Lord. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? 06:40 That's when I really and when I really know how to testify 06:43 because you can't have a testimony without a test. 06:48 The context of our scripture in Psalm 57 is rooted in 1 Samuel 17:22. 06:54 In the text, David, everybody say, "David. "Congregation: David. 06:57 Say it like you mean. Say, "David". Congregation: David. 06:59 David is hiding in a cave from King Saul. Why is David hiding? The Bible says that Saul was jealous. 07:09 He is what, everybody? Congregation: Jealous. 07:11 Jealous of David because Saul knew David had been anointed to replace him as king. You know the story. 07:16 David, little shepherd boy, takes out the giant gladiating soldier Goliath with a small rock, 07:25 and some, a one smooth stone. David was willing to boldly step out in faith to fight Goliath in 07:31 defense of God's honor when nobody else would. That's a whole another sermon. 07:36 After defeating Goliath, David becomes well-known for his military prowess. As a result, Saul gets jealous. 07:45 He gets what, everybody? Saul becomes angry because David is getting higher 07:49 praise from the women singing Saul has slained his thousands 07:54 but David his ten, what everybody? Congregation: [inaudible] 07:57 1 Number 18 says from that point on, Saul eyed David and kept trying to kill him from that time on. 08:05 In fact, even though David was Saul's son, Jonathan's best friend, 08:12 Saul sent David out into battle multiple times hoping he would be killed. But you know what? 08:20 It didn't happen. Saul even offered his daughter's hand in marriage to David if he 08:27 brought him 100 Philistine foreskins. Saul did this thinking David would be 08:34 killed in the front line of battle. But not only was David not killed, 08:38 but David returned with 200 Philistine foreskins. You all now hear what I'm saying? 08:44 Let that be a lesson for somebody today. 08:47 When the Lord has his hands on you, no devil in hell can stop you. The battle is not yours. 08:55 The battle is the Lord's. I wish I had a witness in this place. 08:58 The Bible is clear that David had been chosen by God. David had been blessed by God 09:05 and when God blesses you, no devil in hell can curse you. So then Psalm 18:20 ends by saying 09:13 then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle as often as they went forth. 09:20 David had more success than all the servants of Saul so his name was highly esteemed. 09:26 If you back it up in verse 29 it says, and Saul was yet the more afraid of David. 09:34 And Saul became David's enemy continually. I like the way the New International Version puts it. 09:42 It says that David remains Saul's enemy for the rest of his days. Think about it, you all. 09:51 David was Saul's son Jonathan's best friend. Saul's daughter loved David. 10:05 But let's go back to the first family. Cain was Abel's brother. The stranger 10:14 or the outsider who may make us feel jealous comes and goes. But the family member, the friend, 10:27 the co-worker, they are there month after month, week after week, day after day 10:38 but the people who can't stand to see the success of others will never experience their own. 10:46 So instead of building up Israel, Saul wasted most of his time chasing David through the hills. 10:55 And it's in Psalm 57 that David escapes from Saul and is hiding from Saul in a cave. 11:06 The Cave of Adullam. Now, when David's brothers and those of his house heard where David was, 11:13 the Bible says that they also went to the cave. The Bible says that they were 400. 11:19 How many men, everybody? Congreg ation: 400 11:21 400 other men in the cave. The Bible says that everyone who joined David, 11:26 the Bible says in 1 Samuel 2, was in debt and bitter of soul. Meaning everybody was displeased. 11:34 Everybody was distressed. Everybody was disgruntled and depressed 11:40 and out of the 400 men who joined David in the cave, none of them brought comfort. 11:49 But the good news, the good news is no matter what cave you're in, 11:58 God is going to bring us out. Congregation: [cheering and applause] 12:02 That this cave is not meant to last forever. The cave is just for a season in your life 12:14 because it was only for a season in David's life. What am I talking about? 12:19 The men are miserable in the cave and they're looking to David for help 12:25 and they want David to come up with a solution. So David then fast forward to Psalm 57, 12:31 he says in verse number one, "Be merciful unto me, O God. Be merciful unto me for my soul trusteth in thee. 12:41 In the shadow of thy wings will I make refuge until these calamities be overpast. 12:49 " Let me read the last part of that text because that's when we should have shouted it. 12:53 It says, "Until these calamities be overpast." The New International Version says, 13:02 "Until the disaster has passed." In other words, the calamities, the trouble, the cave has not come to last. 13:16 This too shall pass. The cave in your life, I'm preaching to somebody right now, has not come to last. 13:28 When you are a child of God, trouble does come to an end. Troubles don't last always. 13:37 Weeping may have done for a night but joy comes in the morning. 13:43 David says in the text that he would take refuge in the shadow of God's wings. 13:49 Refuge means shelter or protection from danger and distress. David made God his refuge. 13:56 He made God his shelter, his protection until these calamities, this cave be overpast. In other words, 14:04 David said God, have mercy on me until these calamities are past. Cover me until these calamities are past. 14:13 Stand with me until these calamities are past. In the name of Jesus. 14:19 I can tell somebody today that the storm is passing over. That God wouldn't take you to it 14:30 unless it's God to bring you through it. Number one, the cave doesn't last forever. 14:39 Number two, verse 2 brings out the second thing we ought to do when we're in our cave. 14:45 David says in verse 2, "Cry unto God the most high." Sometimes when you're in your secret closet, 14:57 when you're in your cave, people will think you're crazy but you got to just cry out unto God. 15:04 I figure that story of Peter walking on water and Peter took his eyes off Jesus 15:12 and the Bible says Peter beginning to sink which means he didn't sink, he didn't drown, 15:18 he didn't go under. The Bible says beginning to sink. He cries out to the Lord, "Lord, save me." 15:26 That was his prayer, "Lord, save me." Three simple words which reminds us it's not about the length of your prayer 15:34 but it's the strength of your prayer. Some people think you got to pray this long, 15:39 big sermonized words. Sermons to get God's attention. But I'm a witness, 15:45 when you are about to lose your mind, when you are in Aeolians on a bus trying to get to the hotel 15:53 and somebody hits that bus and fire breaks out, when you're between a rock and a hard place, 16:01 when you're in a cave, all you have time for is Lord, save me. 16:07 All you have time for is I'm crying out to God. 16:12 David remembered what God had done for him. David remembered how he was feeding sheep 16:19 and tending there to those sheep and a bear and a lion came to devour him. But God protected him. 16:26 David remembered how Goliath could have killed him but God protected him. 16:32 David remembered how Saul had tried to kill him before but God protected him. 16:38 In your cave, don't you forget where your help comes from. Not only that, number three, in your cave, 16:52 and we got people all around you in your cave. You got to learn how to expect victory. 17:00 Verse three says he shall send from heaven and he shall save me from the reproach of him that 17:07 would swallow me up. But can I tell you what I really love about this? Pastor you were 17:12 talking about faith earlier. Can I say what I love about his text? David expected God to deliver him. 17:21 David expected victory. Are you all hearing what I'm saying? That's what I love about the three Hebrew boys. 17:29 We know God can deliver us but if not, we still going to worship him. David expected God to deliver to him. 17:41 If we expect victory, we will get victory. David expected victory over this cave 17:53 and if you're going to be delivered from your cave, then you got to have an expectation for deliverance. 18:01 When you're down here at the front, at the altar, don't just come out here because you want to be seen 18:07 but you need to come down here with an expectation for deliverance. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 18:14 I don't know about you but I'm looking for a miracle. I'm expecting the impossible. I see the invisible. 18:24 I can feel the intangible. You've got to learn how to expect deliverance. David knew what God was willing 18:34 and able to deliver him out of the caves of life. Regardless of what his circumstances look like, 18:39 David knew that God would send forth his mercy and his truth. What is his truth? His word. 18:46 And once you know the truth of who God is and what He had said and His word 18:49 and the truth will then set you free. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. 18:57 Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is true. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet 19:03 and a light unto my path. Thy word that I've hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee. 19:11 David in Psalm 57 admitted that he was discouraged. He says in verse six if you look at it. 19:17 I've got to skip. He says, he was bowed down because his enemies have prepared a net for his feet 19:25 and they had dug a pit for him. But in the midst of that pit, what happens? 19:33 The Bible says they fall in it themselves. Don't you ever forget, I tell myself this every day 19:39 because I realized, everybody does not joy in my success. Congregation: Yeah. 19:44 I get that. Pastor Elder Taylor talking about we're going to renovate the church. 19:48 There are some people plotting and hoping that we don't renovate the church 19:51 because they think that buddy Byrd thinks it's for his glory but it's not for my glory. 19:55 It's for His glory. But I have learned. Don't ever forget. I'm preaching to myself now, 20:04 that when God is on your side, people can dig ditches for you if they want, 20:11 people can set traps for you if they want, but I read somewhere that no weapon formed 20:19 against us is going to prosper. The same ditches that people set for you, 20:27 the same traps that people set for you, the same gallows that people prepare for you are the same ditches, 20:37 traps, and gallows that they all fall in themselves. If you don't believe me ask Haman. 20:46 The same gallows that Haman prepared for Mordecai were the same gallows that Haman hung on himself. 20:55 Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. 21:05 David fully expected God to set him free from his cave. 21:15 So when you're in your cave, expect victory. Congregation: [cheering and applause] 21:23 One more thing. One point. When you're in your cave, number four, you got to praise God. 21:32 Congregation: [cheering] Hallelujah! 21:36 Now notice. I didn't say after you get out of the cave. Congregation: No. 21:41 I said while you're in your cave. You got to learn how to praise him. Don't wait till the battle is over. 21:51 Go on and to shout now. Congregation: [cheeing] 21:55 God didn't only say that you are to praise him when you come out. 22:01 But he says if you're going to be truly victorious, you got to praise him while you're in the cave. 22:10 And then you got to praise him out of your cave. In his cave, verse seven David said, 22:17 'My heart is fixed. I will sing and I will give praise." In verse nine he says, 22:25 "I will praise thee, O Lord. I will sing unto thee among the nations. 22:31 Be thou exalted, O God above the heavens. Let thy glory be above all the earth." 22:38 Now, let's be honest. Praise to God in the midst of a cave experience is not an easy thing. 22:48 Congregation: Amen. 22:50 Can we be real? I know it's nice. I'm up here preaching praise God while you're in a cave 22:53 and everybody shouting and jumping but let's be honest. It's hard to praise God when you're going through it. 23:01 Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Congregation: Yeah. 23:05 But the text still says you can't wait to get out of your cave to praise him. 23:12 But you got to still praise him while you're in your cave. So the text says David said to the brothers around him, 23:21 "Wake up. Give me my psaltery. Give me my heart. And all you miserable people up in here, 23:32 get up and praise God in the midst of your cave." If God, I've been, he said, 23:41 "I've been in this pity party too long. If God wants Saul to get me, so be it. 23:50 If God wants my enemies to defeat me, so be it. But the God I serve is not like that. 24:01 " Because God told me, some time ago. David said God told me 24:06 before I got in the cave that the Lord is my light, my salvation. Who shall I fear? 24:16 The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? So in the name of Jesus, 24:25 I don't know what your situation is today, I don't know what your cave circumstance is today 24:33 but I do know this, God will pick you up, he will turn you around, he will place your feet on solid ground. 24:44 You better learn how to praise Him in your cave. Praise Him while you're bankrupt. 24:50 Praise Him while you're on your sickbed. Praise Him while you're going through chemotherapy. 24:56 Praise Him while your children are acting up. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in a sanctuary. 25:04 Praise Him in the firmament of his power. You better praise Him for His mighty acts. 25:09 Praise Him according to his excellent greatness. Praise Him with a sound of the trumpet 25:14 and the timbrel and the dance and string instruments and organs and the psaltery and the harp. 25:20 Praise Him with a loud cymbal, the high sounding cymbal. Let everything that have breath praise the Lord. 25:31 Congregation: Hallelujah! 25:33 I'm getting ready to sit down but let me tell you this. 25:35 Only God can turn a shepherd boy into a king. 25:44 Only God can make a donkey talk. Only God can make the sun stand still. 25:56 Only God can make a red sea a dry highway. Only God can shut lions' mouths. 26:08 Only God can turn water into wedding punch. Only God can make a blind man see. 26:17 Only God can raise from the dead. Only God can take a failure and make him a success. 26:27 Only God can take a loser and make him a winner. Only God can take a negative and make it a positive. 26:37 And it's only God that can get you out of your cave. If you don't get anything else, get this. 26:48 Today, if you're in a cave experience, your cave experience will pass. Number two, 26:59 if you're in a cave experience, you got to learn how to cry out to God. Number three, 27:07 if you're n a cave experience, you got to learn while in your cave to expect deliverance. 27:16 And then number four, when you're in your cave, you got to go on and praise Him while you're in the cave. 27:27 Misery loves company. And David in that cave, because everybody else was miserable could have 27:36 been miserable too. Misery loves company but Jesus loves you more. Speak Jesus in your company. 27:52 Speak positivity in your company. Speak life in your company. Your company doesn't have to be miserable. 28:06 Let me tell you something. You influence your company. Don't let your company influence you. 28:17 And then watch your company change. Come on let's praise Him. Praise him. Praise him. 28:35 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 28:39 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 28:44 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 28:47 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 28:52 Or, call us at (256) 929-646 28:59 [End] |
Revised 2020-01-27