Continuing Plea for Deliverance

 Temple Baptist Church - 1-29-2023

Psalm 60

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Tonight, I want to “borrow” an outline from Dr. Tom Wallace’s series on the Psalms.  Dr. Wallace has given me permission to use his work tonight.  Dr. Wallace is one of my “heroes” in the faith.  In his 90’s, he is still strong and serving in the ministry.  What a great value he is to this preacher.  An example to follow, a mentor to pattern after, an encouragement to “preach, Preacher, preach!”  May the Lord continue to bless this precious man of God and cause him to know that he has set a clear path for us “preacher boys” to follow.  Thank you, Dr. Tom Wallace!

 

B.  Dr. Wallace called this Psalm “David’s Jewel.”  I like to outline a passage of Scripture that I will preach as an outline will break it down into its integral parts and give the context as well as the interpretation and, thus, a rightly dividing application.

 

C.  As I read this Psalm, I could think of no better way to outline it, so let us look at the outline provided by Dr. Wallace.

 

D.  This psalm was “a teaching moment” meant to endure.  In the introduction to the psalm, we find two things:

 

1.  “To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth” “Shushan – eduth” – this comes from two words:  Shushan – an assemblage of trumpets and Eduth – a witness or to teach.  Trumpets were used in many ways in the Bible.  This usage is a group of trumpets  to call attention or to announce something.

 

2.  Michtam – David’s Jewel – an engraving (something meant to endure for a long time); a poem.

 

E.  King David had previously penned many Psalms born out of distress, disappointment, and discouragement but, this psalm was born out of triumph over his enemies.  Along with his great triumph over his enemies, it was a time when King David was at the zenith of power and prosperity in Israel.

 

F.  In the former psalms of distress, we found that King David remained pious and focused on the God of his salvation.  Hard times drive God’s children to their knees and closeness to the God of their help.

 

G.  In this psalm, we find that King David was equally pious and close to God in days of triumph and prosperity.  More often, God’s people draw nigh to God when in trouble but draw away from God in times of prosperity and peace.

 

H.  The Levites were to teach it to the people.  They were to teach the people to trust God and triumph in Him.  We should teach the same to ourselves and to one another.  David was at war with the Syrians.  Joab led the battle with the Edommites and left 12,000 dead.

 

 

    1. DISPLEASURE OF THE LORD. V 1

 

         A. The Lord cast off His people.

 

         B. The Lord had been displeased.

 

         C. The Lord had sent judgement.

 

Israel’s remorse and repentance. 

 

 

    2. DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD. V 3

 

         A. He gave them hard experiences.

 

         B. He gave them surprising experiences.

 

The Lord’s chastisement upon Israel.

 

 

    3. DISPLAY OF THE LORD'S BANNER. V 4

 

         A. The banner spoke of truth.

 

         B. The banner kept them from fear.

 

In ancient times and throughout Scripture, banners were ensigns or standards declaring allegiance to God, a nation, or an army. Banners helped lead the Israelites into battle.  The truth of God was involved in the triumph of David's armies, he had promised them victory.

 

    4. DELIVERANCE OF THE LORD. V 5

 

         A. God hears with His ear.

 

         God saves with His hands.

 

 

    5. DIVISIONS BY THE LORD. V 6-8

 

         A. God places the nations in categories.

 

         B. God's purpose for each nation is given.

 

 

    6. DIRECTION OF THE LORD. V 9,10

 

         A. The question asked.  v 9

 

         B. The answer given. v 10

 

 

 

    7. DISTINCTION OF THE LORD'S HELP. V 11

 

         A. God's help brings victory.

 

         B. Man's help is vain.

Some Things Jesus Left the Church

 Temple Baptist Church - 1-29-2023

Acts 1:1-11

 

Introduction:

 

A.  As we face the new year, I want to look at some things that our Lord Jesus Christ left to the church 2,000 years ago.  Though times have certainly changed, these things have not.

 

B.  The local church was given a commission in Matthew 28:18-20 and the command has not changed!

 

Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  (19)  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

1.  The Church was left to evangelize the world.

 

2. The Church was left to exemplify Christ to the lost.

 

3.  The Church is to baptize new converts and teach them “all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

 

C. Too many churches have forgotten their assignment.  In these 11 verses, we find some things that our Lord left the church.

 

1. The Holy Ghost - Acts 1:4  “wait for the promise of the Father”

 

a.  The gift of the Holy Ghost.  John 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

 

b. Expedient - better or more profitable, beneficial.

 

2.  The Word of God – Acts 1:4 “ye have heard of me”

 

a.  The Lord gave us Himself in the Bible.  The Bible is a “Him Book.”

 

b.  The Lord’s name is the Word of God and you cannot separate the two without doing injustice to Him.  (John 1:1-2; Revelation 19:13)

 

3. A Message that Works - Acts 1:8 “witnesses unto me”

 

a.  The message that we preach is Jesus Christ and a finished gospel.

 

b.  Galatians 6:14 speaks of our glorying in the cross of Christ, not self.

 

c. God's Power to Changed Lives - vs 3-5

 

1) A New Nature (godliness and holiness)

 

2) A New Desire (serve the Lord)

 

3) A New Fellowship (baptized and assembled)

 

4. The Record of a living Christ - Acts 1:9  “while they beheld, he was taken up”

 

a. He lives! Romans 10:9-10 (believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead)

 

b. We serve a risen Savior.

 

5. An unlimited Power - Acts 1:8; Matt 28:18 – “shall receive power” “All Power”

 

a.   Power to preach the Word.

 

b.  Power to withstand and having done, to stand.  Matthew 16:18 - "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

 

6. A Commission - Acts 1:8  “ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”

 

a.  To reach our Jerusalem -Laurens.

 

b.  To reach our Judea – South Carolina.

c.  To reach our Samaria – America.

 

d.  To reach the uttermost part of the earth.

 

7. A promised Presence - Matthew 28:20  “I am with you alway”

 

a.  The Lord is with us as His children.

 

b.  The Lord is with His church.

 

8. A blessed Assurance - Acts 1:11  “this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” 

 

a. 1 Thessalonians 4:16  For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout"

 

b.  John 14:1-3  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

End-Time Lawlessness

 Temple Baptist Church - 1-22-2023

Psalm 10; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Once again, we find King David in “Dutch” because of troublesome times and the supposed silence of God.

 

1.  Troubles are a natural part of life.  We all have them so let us just deal with it.

 

2.  God’s silences are because His ways are not our ways, and His time is not our time.

 

3.  The message: when you cannot track God, just trust Him!

 

B.  This Psalm is also prophetic of the end-time society that we must live in.

 

1.  We cannot change it so we must live in it.

 

2.  We live in lawless days.  Just check the crime statistics and the crime is multiplying. 

 

3.  It is hard not to be appalled a what we see transpiring before our very eyes today.

 

C.  Psalm 10 has been called “The Psalm of the Antichrist” because of its prophetic implications.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-10  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  (2)  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.  (3)  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  (5)  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  (6)  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  (7)  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  (8)  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  (9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  (10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

 

Ephesians 6:10-13  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  (11)  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (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.  (13)  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

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.

 

D.  Let us look at the Psalm and its description of David’s day and the prophetic characteristics that we now live in.

 

 

Verse 1.  Troublesome times.  World conflict everywhere (wars and rumors of wars), skyrocketing prices caused because unscrupulous politicians who care nothing about the people of America.

 

Verse 2.  Persecution of the poor.  While Big Government promises the poor more, they continually cause fuel, grocery, clothing, etc. to skyrocket.  Let me help you with something.  Big Government, little people, Little Government, big people!

 

Verse 3.  Blessing the covetous.  They tax the middle class while the rich just get richer.  “Robinhood Economics” has never and will never work.  Tax the rich and they raise prices on the poor.  Most politicians are millionaires and continue to raise their own salaries.

 

Verse 4.  Rejection of the God of the Bible.  The last of the three steps to a reprobate mind is that “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge”.  The “god of this world” is not the God of heaven and earth!

 

Verse 5.  No change in sight.  Sinful, unrighteous, and puffed at their enemies.  America is no longer revered or feared.

 

Verse 6.  Confident in their plight.  They will neither move or change and they are confident that everything will be alright.

 

Verse 7.  Lies are a way of life.  Cursing on every side, deceit and fraud everywhere.

 

Verse. 8.  Death of the innocents.  The other day, a bill was introduced in Congress concerning the well-being of the baby who survived abortion.  Every Democrat voted to let the surviving child die on the table!  If you are a Democrat and claim to know of God, get out of the party!!! 

 

Verses 9-10.  Sorrow of the poor.  This is a planned thing.  While they promise good, they intentionally produce bad.  These are enemies of the middle- and lower-class people.

 

Verses 11-13.  Spiritual deception.  God does not care; God does not see; God will remain silent.  The greatest of all deception is self-deception.

 

Verses 14-16.  Judgment is imminent.  God does see; God will judge; the heathen will perish.  The Lord is still King.

 

Verse 17-18.  It will be alright.  The Lord is King and will strengthen us for the task ahead; He will bring true judgment and a right finish in His time.

 

Conclusion:  The Lord has His children here for such a time as this as salt and light. Esther 4:14  … and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Marks Of the First Church

 Temple Baptist Church - 1-22-2023

Acts 2:41-47

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Spiritual growth brings about spiritual maturity which brings about spiritual characteristics which brings about spiritual effectiveness. 

 

2 Timothy 3:5 speaks of “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” as one of the signs of the last days.  We are not only there but have been there for some time.

 

B.  Churches in the Bible Belt have deteriorated to the point that, in our day, most of the newer believers have never known what it was to have a real spiritual church.  They were born in the midst of the decline and have not experienced the soul saving revivals of the past.  Decline happens over a long period of time as a general rule and its characteristics and affects are not always recognized by those who grace the pews of the local church.

 

C.  There is a saying used by those born in the Revival Days of the South:  “I was born in the fire and can’t stand the smoke.”  Today’s “Christian” says, “I was born in the smoke and can’t stand the fire!”

 

D.  In Revelation, chapter 2, the Lord rebuked the Apostolic Church for two things:

 

Revelation 2:4-6  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love ...  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works … But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

 

E.  In the early years of the New Testament Church, we find the characteristics that the Lord admonished the Church of Ephesus, in Revelation chapter 2, to return to. 

 

F.  I think that it would do us well to look at what was happening in those early days that caused these new believers to turn the world upside down for Christ.  These characteristics need to be continued in our churches today.

 

1.  It Was A Church Was Marked By True Conversions – vs. 41 

 

a.  They gladly received his word.  Most church members today want to be entertained, not converted.  Today, If you preach the Word with power and conviction, the average church member is offended!  They would have neither like John the Baptist or our Lord Jesus’ preaching!

 

b.  They wanted to be baptized.  You did not have to run them down and beg them to be baptized.

 

c.  They assembled at the appointed times.  You did not have to send the deacons out to find out why they were not in church.  Today’s church is characterized by an unfaithful membership!  Once in a while does them just fine!

 

2.  It Was A Church Marked By Spiritual Growth – vs. 42

 

a.  They loved and learned doctrine. 

 

1)  They gladly received it.  They esteemed the Word of God more that their necessary food.  Job 23:12  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

 

2)  They rightly divided it.  They were doctrinally correct. Revelation 2:2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

 

b.  They loved and knew God’s men. 

 

1)  They loved them - Galatians 4:15  Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

 

2)  They spend time with them - 1 Thessalonians 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

 

c.  They loved and spent time with each other.

 

1)  They loved one another - 1 John 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

 

2)  They spent time with each other - Acts 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

 

3.  It Was A Church Marked By Powerful Prayer – vs. 42

 

a.  They prayed often - Acts 1:14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

 

b.  They prayed fervently - Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

 

4.  It Was A Church Marked By Unselfish Giving – vs. 43-45

 

a.  They gave of themselves - 2 Corinthians 8:5  And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

 

b.  They gave of their finances - 2 Corinthians 8:3  For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

 

5.  It Was A Church Marked By Spiritual and Doctrinal Unity – vs. 46

 

a.  They had unity within the church - 1 Corinthians 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

 

b.  They had unity among themselves - Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

 

Ephesians 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

6.  It Was A Church Marked By Vocal Worship – vs. 47

 

a.  Their praising was vocal - Psalms 98:4  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

 

1 Kings 1:40  And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

 

b.  Their praising was uniform - Psalms 150:6  Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

7.  It Was Marked By Soul Winning – vs. 47

 

a.  Soul winners must be trained - 1 Peter 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

 

b.  Soul winners must be available - Matthew 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.     

       

Conclusion:  May the Lord help us to be a spiritually effective church in these last days.  May the Lord help us to allow our children to know what church should be.