Life’s Solutions

 Temple Baptist Church - 12-3-2023

Psalm 69:13-36

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Last week, I divided this Psalm into two parts.  We must remember that this Psalm is both Davidic (David’s cry to God) and Messianic (Our Lord’s cry to the Father).

 

1.  Life’s Sorrows – Verses 1-15  I continue to say that life is hard and when you know that you can make it! 

 

a)  King David, a man after God’s own heart, suffered the ups and downs of life just as we do.

 

b)  Our Lord, the Son of God, suffered throughout His public life from the time of His baptism and identification to the cross upon which He died of the sin of the world.

 

c)  Therefore, if David and our Lord were allowed to suffer, we will not be exempt!

 

1 Peter 1:5-8  Who are kept by the power of God through faith (the substance hoped for, the evidence of things not seen) unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (6)  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  (7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  (8)  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 

d)  We often lose sight of the Lord in our dark and seemingly endless times of suffering and turmoil.  Thus, these precious Psalms teach us both how to suffer and live a life of faith at the same time.

 

2.  Life’s Solutions – Verses 16-36.  When our life seems to be out of our control, we must remember that our life is STILL in His control.  Proverbs 3:5-6,  along with Romans 8:28, are verses Scripture that most of us can quote tonight. 

 

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

a)  These verses are right!  Hard humanly to swallow at times when things go wrong, continue to go wrong, and open end waiting with no relief in sight.

 

b)  As the old preacher said, “Don’t mess with God’s toys.”  I do not say this irreverently, but the secret things belong to God, and we need to allow Him to do a perfect work instead of putting a “band-aid” on the problem. 

 

James 1:2-4  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  (3)  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  (4)  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

 

B.  We have seen Life’s Sorrows, and there are many.  Now let us look at our verses and find Life’s Solutions.

 

1.  Verses 13-15.  Learning to Wait in Prayer to God.    “My prayer is unto thee”

 

a.  Verse 13.  David continues to make supplication to God.

 

b.  Verse 14.  David places his trust in God’s timing in answering his prayer.

 

c.  Verse 15.  David pleads for God not to let him sink or be overcome in the process.

 

2.  Verses 16-18.  Leaning on the Compassion of God.  “The multitude of thy tender mercies”

 

a.  Verse 16.  David’s recognition of the goodness of God ALL the time.

 

b.  Verse 17.  David’s recognition of the graciousness of God in our sinful times.

 

c.  Verse 18.  David’s recognition of the grace of God in our bad times.

 

3.  Verses 19-21  In the hands of the Enemies of God.  “Mine adversaries are all before thee”

 

a.  Verse 19.  David’s enemies defined.  Adversaries: foes, adversaries, enemies, antagonists, rivals.

 

b.  Verse 20.  David’s emptiness declared.  Brokenhearted, without comforters.

 

c.  Verse 21.  David’s enduring described.  Gall to eat and vinegar to drink.  Both irritate and make sore, i.e. to burn the stomach.

 

4.  Verses 22-28.  David’s desire concerning His Enemies.  “Let their table become a snare”  Imprecatory Prayers. 

It is both biblical and alright to pray AGAINST all those who refuse to get right with God and stop their ungodly works against the godly. 

 

I fully understand that the bible also tells us to pray for our enemies and do them good, but there are many examples in the Psalms imprecatory praying.  These verses are prophetic of what should be done to such of the enemies of God and His people. 

 

I pray imprecatory prays each do as I ask for justice (not revenge) in wrongs that need to be righted. 

 

I pray imprecatory prayers each day asking God to save Israel’s enemies but, if they do not get save and continue to destroy God’s people, let Israel take them down.

 

a.  Verse 22.  Let their table become a snare.  Their banqueting turned to ruin.

 

b.  Verse 23.  Let their eyes be darkened and lives fearful.  Let them suffer the same fear that they have brought upon others.

 

c.  Verse 24.  Let their way be painful.  Remove the joy of living from their ways.

 

d.  Verses 25-26.  Let their homes be destroyed.  Let them find no place of rest.

 

e.  Verse 27.  Let their iniquity come upon them.  Their sinful choices bring about spiritual consequences.

 

f.  Verse 28.  Let their eternity be damned.  The ultimate anathema. If they will not stop and get right, they have no right to live in God’s heaven.

 

5.  Verses 29-36.  David’s confidence in Jehovah God.

 

a.  Verse 29.  David’s salvation Assured.  As God must allow, God can also remove.

 

b.  Verse 30.  David’s song Returns.  The joy of the Lord is the strength and rejoicing of His children. He giveth songs in the night!

 

c.  Verses 31-33.  David’s sacrifice Offered.  The faithful faithfully return to worship and praise.

 

d.  Verses 34-36.  David’s surety of Life’s Outcome.  One day, all will once again be well and life worth living.

A Purposed Life

 Temple Baptist Church - 5-7-2023

Psalm 63

 

Introduction:  One of the best ways to study a context is to outline it.  Here is my outline on Psalm 63.

 

A.  The history of Psalm 63. “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.”  This is another of the psalms written either while David was hiding from King Saul or Absalom in the wilderness of Judah.  It was a favorite hiding place for David because of its vastness and its barrenness. 

 

The wilderness of Judah is the whole wilderness towards the east of the tribe of Judah, bounded on the north by the tribe of Benjamin, stretching, southward to the south-west end of the Dead Sea, eastward to the Dead Sea and the Jordan, and westward to the mountains of Judah.

 

B.  Though David suffered much in his life, his suffering did nothing to define his person.  It seems that David spent about as much time running as he did ruling!  NEVER let your troubles define your life, let your life define your troubles.  Walk with God in the midst of the storms.

 

C.  Though David failed God at times, his failures did not define his purpose. 

 

1.  NEVER let your failures define your life.  Let your failures be stepping blocks to success in life.  Get up out of the dust and dirt and keep walking with God. 

 

2.  Despite the greatness of his sins, David became the man “after mine own heart, which shall fill all my will” and established the Everlasting Throne that Christ would one day sit upon. (Acts 13:22)

 

Luke 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

 

D.  The outline: David’s Purposing: 

 

1.  To Seek God.  Verse 1.  God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

a.  To seek his God. “O God, thou art my God”

 

b.  To seek his God early. “early will I seek thee”

 

c.  To seek God fervently. “my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;”

 

2.  To See God.  Verse 2.   Matthew 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

 

 

a.  He Remembered God’s Power.  “To see thy power”

 

b.  He Remembered God’s Person.  “and thy glory”

 

c.  He Remembered God’s Place.  “so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.”  He remembered the good times.

 

3.  To Praise God.  Verses 3-4. 

 

a.  With his Lips.  “my lips shall praise thee.”

 

b.  With his Life.  “Thus will I bless thee while I live”

 

4.  To Be Satisfied.  Verses 5-7.

 

a.  With His Provision. “as with marrow and fatness”  In trouble as well as the good times.

 

b.  With His Peace. “When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” 

 

c.  With His Position. “therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.”

 

5.  To trust God.  Verses 8-11.

 

a.  With His Problems.  “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”

 

b.  With His Protection.   “But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.  (10)  They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.”

 

c.  With His Providence.  “But the king shall rejoice in God”  David looked beyond his present predicament to the days when he would be once again restored to power.

The Promise of Life

Temple Baptist Church - 4-21-2013

 

2 Timothy 1:1-2

 

Introduction:

A. Most people miss out on the true meaning of life as:

1. Their lives are self-serving. The “religion” of humanism has permeated our society through the effective teachings of an anti-God system that has steadily developed over the years. I remember when the Bible reading, prayer, and salute to the American Flag were a normal part of our public education. I remember when chapel services were a vital part of our week in the public school system as men of God came in and shared the Bible with students.

2. Over the years of my life, I have seen the Bible and prayer taken out of the public schools. Men of God no longer welcome to come and preach to the children. The “Happy Days” gone forever as humanism replaced human responsibility. With God gone from the schools, we have seen the results: drugs and drug dogs, SRO (School Resource Officers) when the towns and counties can afford them, murder and mayhem on school grounds, sodomy and same sex marriages forced upon once godly people’s children, and a breakdown of authority that teachers once held. The list could go on but, now, these are accepted as the new norm.

3. The marriage institution being replaced by living together or simply ending in disaster with children now coming from dysfunctional homes instead of secure two parent ones. There is now violence in the homes, streets, and schools instead of the peaceful, fun loving spirit of the days of our youth. I have said often that “our children will never know the America that we were raised in.”

B. As born again believers, we must protect our homes and children by instilling within them the true meaning of life and living! We are not animals; we did not evolve; we are not accidents and freaks of nature; we are made in the image of our Creator with divine purpose!

C. Paul begins the second of the Pastoral Epistles (again, when you see a 2^nd or 3^rd epistle with the same name or written to the same people, the general theme is apostasy and the Second Coming of the Lord) by setting forth the divine purpose and plan of God for His children. I want to break these down into 4 very simple parts tonight.

1. A Man With A Mission – “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God”

a. The Importance of God’s Man – “as apostle of Jesus Christ” An Old Testament priest represented men to God. Today, we are individual priests and need no such representation. We go individually to God through the applied blood of Christ. An apostle represents God to man. There are no apostles today but it is still the work of the pastor to continually keep the Lord before the people in such a way as to hold God up and help His people to continue to stand.

b. The Instruction of God’s Man – “by the will of God”

1) Timothy was a pastor and, yet, he still needed the instruction of Paul. As a pastor, one of the critical parts of my work is that of preaching and teaching. It is not a thing of “I am better” or “smarter” or even “more spiritual” than anyone else in the church but it is God’s order and His work works!

2) I need preaching just like you need preaching. When God’s men come to Temple, as a general rule, I allow them to come into this pulpit and preach. I enjoy listening and gleaning from what they have to say. I believe it is the will of God that all of us have preachers to instruct and exhort us in these last days.

3) Last Wednesday night, Barbara and I were in church. We heard the pastor preach a simple message on satanic attacks upon the local church. It was nothing profound or different from what I preach here at Temple Baptist. But, I needed to hear it; Barbara needed to hear it. That is called reinforcement and reinforcement is necessary to God’s people.

2. A Life With A Meaning. “the promise of life”

a. One of the great problems with society in these last days is that of purpose. Happiness is sought for in all of the wrong places and life, therefore, has lost its meaning. Man was placed here with a purpose and that purpose was to have a relationship with his Creator. Careers are great but, without the Lord, purposeless. It is of no wonder that people are so unhappy and unfilled. Something vital to life is missing!

b. That vital part of life that is missing is the knowledge and love of Christ. Life only has true meaning when one comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour! Man is innately religious because he is made to worship. Many worship their gods made with hands but I am glad that I worship One who made me with His hands. My life has had true meaning for the past 36 ½ years for which I am grateful.

c. God loves His children and wants the best for each of them. That “best” is found in Jesus Christ. I am reminded of the song that says, “I had rather be an old time Christian, Lord, than anything I know.”

3. A Message With A Promise. “Grace … Mercy … Peace” This is the great apostle’s normal salutation. 1) Because these three things are necessary for the believer to continue faithfully in the faith 2) Because these three things are available to the believer: they are gifts given that must be accepted!

a. The promise of Grace for every trial. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” We often say that God will never place more on us than we can bear and I believe that to be a biblical truth. There is living grace, suffering grace, sustaining grace, and dying grace. As my old friend, Dean Shook sang, “There’s been grace for every trial; grace for every mile!”

b. The promise of mercy for every failure. Jeremiah 33:8 says, “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love!” God’s people love Him and, yet, fail Him miserably. God’s love is so much greater than our sin and His forgiveness is always there for His children. I have tried to wear 1 John 1:9 out in my lifetime but it is still there and the mercy of God still available.

c. The promise of peace for the entire trip. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Isaiah 26:3 speaks of the perfect peace that God offers to these who keep their minds stayed upon Him. Looking around at this world with all of its problems will steal that peace until we turn our eyes upon the Lord and know that all is well as He controls everything.

This One Thing I Do - Part 2

Temple Baptist Church - 12-28-2008

Philippians 3:13

Introduction: I quoted the first part of what Paul said last Sunday: “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind.” This morning, I want to use the second part as they go together and one is useless without the other. “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

A. Last week, we PUT THE PAST IN THE PAST. To forget the things that are behind is good but not enough. We can reflect on our failures and fail to learn from them. We can reflect upon our victories and have no victory in the next year. We can sit still this New Year, do nothing, and miserably fail again. Or,

B. We also PUT THE FUTURE IN THE PRESENT! We can go on for God while living in spiritual victory. No, we do not know what we will face this year. There may be trials to go through, sickness to come upon us, poverty because of an unstable economy but we can be victorious. “This is the victory that over cometh the world, even our faith!” (1 John 5:4)

C. We can put the future in the present by:

1. Living for Christ today. Taking one day at a time by not crossing bridges before we come to them. A man once said that worry is “Earning interest on a problem that may never come.” One day at a time.

Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

2. Trusting Christ for tomorrow. Yea though I walk through the valley, I will fear no evil for He is with me!

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1. In 2009, I Want To “Be Found In Him.” Vs. 9, 13-14

a. Not “found in Him” in salvation because I am saved! I got that settled long ago. My salvation is settled for time and eternity. If you do not know Him today, come to an old fashioned altar and surrender your life to Christ. He will not “cast you out.”

b. “Found in Him” in testimony! Everyone who names Christ has a testimony for Christ: either bad or good.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

c. I want my life to glorify God, not bring shame to His name. I want my life to reflect the wonderful salvation that He has given to me and the change that His salvation made. So many people who are saved have brought nothing but reproach to a “name which is above every name.”

2. In 2009, I Want To “Know Him.” Vs. 10

a. I want to get to know Him in His person.

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,

b. I want to get to know Him in the fellowship of His suffering.

Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (I believe that the greatest suffering of Christ was that of being forsaken! “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The world will also forsake you when you “go forth therefore unto him without the camp.”)

c. I want to get to know Him in His Word.

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].

d. I want to get to know Him in His peace.

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2 Timothy 4:16-17 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all [men] forsook me: [I pray God] that it may not be laid to their charge. 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.

Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Psalms 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. (His God; He is Lord, He is Sovereign!)

e. I want to get to know Him in His power.

John 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

f. I want to get to know Him in my praise.

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

g. I want to get to know Him in His purpose.

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

The Cycle Of Life

Temple Baptist Church 05-04-2008

Ecclesiastes 11:8-12:14

Introduction: In our text verses, we find the “Cycle of Life.” My, how time flies and our perspective changes!

1. I remember, while in Grade School, looking across the street at the High School and thinking how old and mature the students were. I couldn’t wait until I could cross the street and be grown up.

2. I remember, while in High School, going to Western Kentucky University for “College Days” and seeing the students there and thinking, “My, how old they are! How mature and grown up they are!”

3. I remember the neighborhood that Barbara and I grew up in was full of young families with kids everywhere. The kids grew up, the families on the street grew old. Later, we went back to the same neighborhood and saw kids on the streets again as the older died and the young families moved back in and raised children. Now, the streets are once again empty of children.

4. There was a time when teens were old in my perspective; young people in their 20’s and 30’s were old; middle aged where ancient and the grey haired were virtually gone. My perspective is still changing as I grow older and, in less than two weeks, will hit 60.

5. My wife used to say that I could hug any girl up to 9 and any woman over 60 but nothing in between. That has certainly changed! Now, she has to be at least 80!

6. We look around at the saints that have been gone for some years now, the saints that are now the aged ones, and the youth that are just getting started—and see the reality of the “Cycle of Life.”

A. Life Is Fragile as a vapor - James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

B. Life Is Swift as a weaver’s shuttle - Job 7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

C. Life Is Mysterious as the wind - Job 7:7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

D. Life Is Full of troubles - Job 14:1-2 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

E. Life Is Temporary in nature - Psalms 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage [are] an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

THREE PHASES OF LIFE: YOUTH, MANHOOD, OLD AGE

1. The Days Of Youth - 11:9-12:1 (These should be days of Decision!) REPENTANCE

A. Days Of Rejoicing - “in thy youth” - vs. 11:9a (Days of health, little responsibility, fun and laughter)

B. Days Of Realization - “thee into judgment” - vs. 11:9b (For all these things God will judge in the end)

C. Days Of Removal - “sorrow from thy heart…put away evil” - vs. 11:10 (Sin’s result is sorrow, regret, and bondage)

D. Days Of Remembrance - “Remember now thy Creator” - vs. 12:1 (The time to set your heart and serve is when you can give the most)

2. The Days Of Manhood - 12:1-12:5 (These should be days of Determination!) RESOLVE

A. Days Of Wickedness - “evil days” - vs. 12:1a (Satan is working hard to defile, defame, and destroy your family)

B. Days Of War - “have no pleasure in them” - vs. 12:1b (Spiritual warfare is essential)

C. Days Of Work - “strong men shall bow themselves” - vs. 12:3 (There is much to be done and little time to accomplish it)

D. Days Of Walk - “afraid of that which is high” - vs. 12:5a (The key to spiritual victory is the fear of the Lord)

E. Days Of Witness - “because man goeth to his long home” - vs. 12:5b (Give your family and friends the witness of a good profession)

3. The Days Of Old Age - 12:5-12:14 (These will be days of Deliberation!) REFLECTION

A. Days Of Realization - “man goeth to his long home” - vs. 5b-7 (The only important thing is serving the Lord)

B. Days Of Reflection - “dust…dust...spirit to God who gave it” - vs. 12:7 (Life is temporal and you won’t be here long)

C. Days Of Regret - “all is vanity” - vs. 12:8 (Years wasted cannot be brought back)

D. Days Of Resolve - “whole duty of man” - vs. 12:13-14 (Dedicate your life to the Lord and live only for Him)