Ps 119: 25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. 26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. 27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

Ps 119: 30 29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law. 30I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.

When life is going badly 25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Sadness, sorrow, dissappointment, ready to die Written close to desert; implication, face down, all energy is gone Not self help Instead it is about God being able to help you in the midst of emotions God is an emotional being We are made in the image of God We are emotional beings God gets grieved; God gets angry, God loves, God gets sad

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. The Bible has emotion in it Seek a passage where: The writer relates to your feelings The writer is going through similar things

Reviewing my life 26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees.

Reviewing my life Ps 139:23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting. Being open to a “fierce moral inventory” Search me God Know my heart Test me Know my anxious thoughts Search me Look for the ways I am not who God wants me to be Look in the closets of my heart Know my heart; Bring the corridors to light Test me; when did you last ask God to test yo? So confident in your own goodness that you can say “test me” Know my anxious thoughts Anxiety is a killer; never satisfied, wants more and more fuel See if I have offended If you had a movie of your last week, shot from outside your body, what would you see Tough week; dad said ready for care facility; set up tour, how much long term care cost Really! I screamed; I had POA with mom, I had wone with dad, didn't have form; lost it Thursday night collapsed on floor, sick to stomach, ER/ ICU Lead me in the way; re-direct; point new direction Everlasting; little concept of heaven- much idea that what model for kids stays in motion; See if I have offended Lead me in the way Everlasting

The Bible expands my horizons 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. Tensions arise between life and the Bible Cannot find every life issue in the Bible You CAN take the principles of the Bible and apply them to various life issues. This is the OPPOSITE of what many people think. If I obey the Bible I will become narrow in my understanding. The Bible explains a lot Why do people act the way they do? Gen 3: Adam and eve. Choices. WE make them to benefit ourselves. Why doesn't God intervene? Romans 1: 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, Biblical world view!

So What? Feeling down? Read the Psalms/ Job/ Proverbs Find one whose author seems to feel like you feel Tell your feelings to God Read God's Word BACK to God Hold Him to it Let the Bible examine you! Honestly. Confess and repent Trust God with your understanding.