God’s Faithfulness to His Oppressed People

Temple Baptist Church - 3-26-2023

Psalm 12

Introduction:

A. King David spent a lot of time crying out to the Lord in times of trouble. This Psalm is one of those written during such a time. I thank the Lord that His ears are open to the cries of His people in times of trouble. Verses 2 and 8 give a brief description of the time of this Psalm while verses 3-7 give a blessed hope to the oppressed.

B. Each one of us has our personal battles that rage in our souls. I am speaking of spiritual battles which are the most important to win. If we lose our spiritual battles, we lose our spiritual values and, therefore, our spiritual usefulness.

1. We need an Anchor. The song writer said, “My anchor holds in the midst of the storm.” An anchor in the shifting sands of human theology.

2. We need Spiritual Stability. An anchor is of little use when it remains unused. People must be spiritually stable in instable times.

3. This Psalm is well fitted to the days in which we live.

C. I want to outline this Psalm as it is a good way to properly interpret and, therefore, rightly divide it. We will not study it in minute detail as that would take several messages. I just want us to get a little help in these last perilous times in which we live.

1. A Fearful Prayer. Verse 1. “Help, Lord!”

a. The Godly Cease. As people get farther away from God, godliness becomes a spectacle. The worldly look at us like a calf looking at a new gate. People of God bow to the peer pressure of this world.

b. The Faithful Fail. Because of this separation from God, the “as the manner of some is” has changed to “as the manner of most are”.

c. The Wicked Continue. 2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

2. A Flattering Lip. Verse 2.

a. They Speak Vanity. Much to do about nothing because what they speak has no eternal value. People are vain because secular humanism breeds vanity.

b. The Speak Flatteringly with a Double Hear. Speaking what people want to hear instead of speaking what people need. The pulpits are full of such men.

c. They Speak Falsely. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (It is false teaching that leads astray.)

3. A Frightful Judge. Verses 3-4.

a. He is Listening. Verse 3. As God knows our thoughts afar off, He hears what is being said. Be careful little lips what you say because Almighty God

b. His is LORD. Verse 4.

c. The Reward of the Wicked. 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

2 Thessalonians 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

4. A Faithful Lord. Verse 5.

a. The Lord’s Protection. He watches over His children.

b. The Lord’s Purpose. He has a plan for our lives.

1) We are to Continue in the Faith. Colossians 1:22-23 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

2) We are to Continue in Prayer. Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

3) We are to Continue in Doctrine. 1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

4) We are to Continue in Brotherly Love. Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

5) We are to Continue in Labor. James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

6) We are to Continue in Fellowship. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

5. A Future Promise. Verses 6-7.

a. The Purity of God’s Word. Verse 6.

b. The Perpetuality of God’s Word. Verse 7.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

6. A Fact Present. Verse 8.

a. The Presence of the Wicked. Wickedness and wicked people surround us today. We live in a world of perversion.

b. The Power of the Wicked. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Hindrances To The Work

Temple Baptist Church - 6-23-2019

Romans 15:22-24

Introduction:

A.  Paul was writing to a church that he never started and a people that he had never met!  We find in these verses that he was “hindered” for years from coming to them.

B.  Paul fought a literal war as he endeavored to carry the gospel to a dying world.

1 Timothy 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

C.  We too are hindered.  We are likened to soldiers who need to be both armed and determined.  (It’s a battlefield, Brother, not a recreation room, it is a fight and not a game.)

            2 Timothy 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

D.  The door of opportunity rests upon the hinges of resistance.

Zechariah 3:1  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

E.  Satan and his allies will stop at nothing in order to deter the work of the gospel!  He is serious!

1 Peter 5:8   Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1.  There Is The Hindrance Of Unreasonable And Wicked Men - 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. (Men who cannot be reasoned with.  Men who withstand the OLD PATHS of Scripture, Sanctification, etc.)

2.  There Is The Hindrance Of Worldly Persecution - 2 Corinthians 1:8-10  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; (The Sword of Family Division is a lethal one.  We all love our families and friends while trying to maintain a balance of friendship with them while walking a walk pleasing to the Lord.  Peer pressure is a real thing.)

3.  There Is The Hindrance Of Satanic Oppression - 1 Thessalonians 2:18  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.  (The spirit of antichrist is prevalent in our society.  People who once professed faith have shown their true “colors,” as they now stand against God and His people.)

2 Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

1 Thessalonians 2:17-18  But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

2 Timothy 4:17  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

4.  There Is The Hindrance Of Religious But Lost Church Members - 2 Timothy 4:14-15  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:  (15)  Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.  (Men who stand against, malign, and attack God’s men.  Men who contradict, correct, and teach contrary to the Bible.)

Acts 17:5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

5.  There Is The Hindrance Of Doctrinal Division By False Teachers -Romans 16:17-18  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  (18)  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  (God’s people are being systematically destroyed by a lack of foundational teaching.  This is a failure that opens up the church to heresy.)

6.  There Is The Hindrance Of Ungodly Wolves - Acts 20:28-30  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.  (29)  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  (30)  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  (Ungodly men who destroy the flock of God.)

7.  There Is The Hindrance Of Wicked Church Members - 3 John 9-10   I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteththem out of the church.

2 Timothy 4:14-18  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:  Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.