A Godly Fear of Falling

 Temple Baptist Church - 3-16-2025

Psalm 28

 

Introduction:

 

A.  David, a man after God’s own heart! Several possibilities in the Psalm need to be addressed. David was fearless in physical battles but fearful in the spiritual realm of conflict.  As with David, our greatest conflict and battle is within, not without. 

 

B.  The best way to understand a Psalm is to break it down into its parts: to outline.

 

C.  In verses 1-2, we find David’s Petition:  “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock” 

 

1.  Verse 1.  David’s Plea.  “be not silent to me”  He realized that his help “cometh from the LORD.”  One of the greatest characteristics of spiritual growth is the realization that we are not alone, and the battle is the Lord’s.  So many times, prayer is a last resort instead of our first one.  “You have not because you?”  “Ask not!”

 

2.  Verse 1.  David’s Possibility.  “lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.”  He was keenly aware of his propensity to fall.  Over his lifetime, this godly man had failed God terribly at times when his flesh took precedent over his spirit.

 

3.  David’s Position:   “When I lift up my hands.”  It is a position of humility and faith, a lack of confidence in himself and his ultimate confidence in God. 

 

Proverbs 3:26  For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

 

4.  David’s Place.  “toward thy holy oracle”  Oracle – the innermost part of the sanctuary: the Holy of Holies.  The place where the blood was applied.  The importance of God’s House cannot be denied in the Scriptures.  It was the “Center” of Israel.  By the same token, the local church should be the centerpiece of the child of God.  Stay faithful and stay close in these last days.

 

D.  Verses 3-5.  David’s Possibility.  “Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity”

 

1. Verse 3. David’s Fear. “Draw me not away.” Away from what? To be drawn away, he must have been somewhere. David wanted to stay on solid footing with the LORD. He understood that having the LORD on his side was the only source of peace, joy, and fulfillment! “Perfect peace” is found in the believer who places their trust and life in God's hands.

 

2. Verses 4-5. David’s Faith. “Give them according to their deeds.” He knew that a thrice holy God would ultimately address the ways of wickedness! Though seemingly prosperous at times, this is only a temporary outcome. 

 

James 1:15-16  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  (16)  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

 

E.  Verses 6-9.  David’s Praise.  The LORD heard and answered in the right way. 

 

Jude 24-25  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,  (25)  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 

1.  Verse 7.  “The LORD is my strength”  Isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

2.  Verse 7.  In the LORD, David found Protection. Proverbs 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

 

3.  Verse 7.  In the LORD, David found Help.  Psalms 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 

4.  Verse 8.  In the LORD, David found Rejoicing.  Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

 

5.  Verse 8.  In the LORD, David found Worship.  Psalms 150:6  Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

Psalms 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 

6.  In the LORD, David found Deliverance.  2 Timothy 4:17-18  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.  (18)  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

7.  In the LORD, David found Blessing.  Psalms 1:1-3  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  (3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

 

F.  What brings the child of God to the place of being drawn away with the way of the wicked?

 

1.  Defilement.  Defilement in general is a subtle path of disobedience to God’s Word and the precious Holy Spirit.  Hear, harken, and heed both!

 

2.  Disappointment.  When we ask God, His answer is not what we want or expect.   Yes? No? Wait?  These are how God answers and the only one that we really want and expect is Yes!  Learn to trust God with His answers as they will be right ones!

 

3.  Discouragement.  Walking in a world in which we do not belong or fit into.  “Change and decay in all around I see” was written by a wise songwriter.  Heads up!  God is still in control.

 

4.  Division.  There are right divisions, ecclesiastical, sinfulness, and doctrinal, and there are wrong divisions, selfishness and ignorance.  Stay in church and stay in love with God and each other!

 

Conclusion:  A godly fear of falling is essential to not falling.

They Hated a Godly Man: Lazarus

 Temple Baptist Church - 11-22-2023

John 12:9-11

 

Introduction:

 

A.  In the preceding verses, we saw the restoration of three people that the Lord loved very much.  I am glad that God will not leave you in the aftermath of great hardship but will continue to make you better instead of allowing you to get bitter.

 

B.  I came back to this portion of Scripture for a reason. 

 

1.  There will come times when, as a saint of God, you will be persecuted without cause.  In our text, I always find this to be an amazing thing when religious people hate saved people without a cause. 

 

2.  When I say, without a cause, then the cause becomes evident.  Without a cause because God’s people are good people and good citizens.  The cause of their hate is that they hate God and especially the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation.

 

C.  We find early in the Bible the First Mention of such anger and hatred.  Wicked people who hate the Lord cannot take their ire out on Him, so they choose to do injury to the Lord’s people who love Him.

 

1.  In Genesis, chapter 4, we find the story of Cain and Abel.  Righteous Abel verses the “way of Cain.”  In the First Mention of the wicked destroying the righteous, I see several things that apply to the story of Lazarus. 

 

2.  Both Abel and Lazarus were Righteous people.  All they did was obey and love the Lord in biblical silence.  Neither did nor did they say anything offensive.

 

Hebrews 11:4  By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

 

Matthew 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

 

3.  Both Cain and the chief priests were wicked.

 

Jude 10-13  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.  (11)  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.  (12)  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;  (13)  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

 

4.  Both Abel and Lazarus were persecuted for who they were more than for what they did.  Cain was put to death and Lazarus was under a false indictment of death.

 

5.  Both Cain and the Chief Priests were VERY wroth (furious, incensed, to blaze up) with God because of their personal rejection of the sacrifice that God demanded.  This was a baseless, unreasonable anger that spelled hatred for both God and God’s way while continuing in their rebellion by killing Abel and threatening Lazarus.

 

D.  Why persecute Lazarus?  He was not persecuted for what he did, but for who he was.

 

E. We that are saved are slowly becoming the enemy of the state.

 

1.   I am not speaking of religion which allows one to live as they like and continue to feel good about themselves spiritually in disobedience to the Word of God.

 

2.  I am speaking of those who have been converted, turned around, through repentance and faith in a finished work called the Gospel.

 

3.  They know who we are and do not like what we have become, out of step with society which continues to decline, because Jesus Christ was such.

 

F.  Why persecution?  Why Lazarus?  Why God’s people?  I want to tie these three questions together because this has not changed since Cain and Abel.

 

John 12:10-11  But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; (11) Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

 

2 Timothy 3:10-13  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,  (11)  Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.  (12)  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  (13)  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 

1.  These “chief priests” persecuted an innocent man! 

 

a.  I find no fault in this man that would cause any sane person to want him killed.  There is nothing recorded that Lazarus ever spoke or did that was wrong. 

 

b.  All that Lazarus did was love the Lord and open his home and life to Him. 

 

c.  If we live godly, we shall suffer persecution!

 

d.  To avoid persecution, all a child of God has to do is “hide in plain sight” by living at a guilty distance from the Lord.

 

2.  These “chief priests” who wanted Lazarus dead were not sane people.  These religious zealots hated a man who was righteous because of what the Lord had done for him.

 

a.  It was not Lazarus’ fault that he got sick and died.  I am sure that Lazarus would have been perfectly happy to die once and spend his eternity with the Lord without having to come back to this old sinful world and go through the process of dying again at a later date.

 

b.  It was not Lazarus’ fault that the Lord chose to resurrect him from death and the grave.

 

c.  They hated Lazarus without a cause.  Like Job, Lazarus was just the “man caught in the middle.” 

 

3.  These chief priests hate Lazarus because of what the Lord had done.  “Because that by reason of him”

 

a.  The Lord did a wonderful thing for Lazarus that should have made everyone glad.  Proof that our Lord had resurrection power and that there was life after death.

 

b.  There are going to be times when you will be persecuted simply because the Lord did a wonderful thing for you when He saved your soul.

 

c.  Though not perfect in the flesh, those who choose to live a godly life expose the ungodliness of the unsaved.

 

John 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

 

4.  Lazarus was persecuted because these “chief priests” hated our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

John 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

 

1 John 3:13  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

 

1 John 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

 

5.  Rejoice when men hate you for who you have become and be good to them.

 

Luke 6:22-23  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.  (23)  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

 

Luke 6:27-28  But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,  (28)  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

 

The Value of the Fear of the LORD

 Temple Baptist Church - 4-16-2023

Psalm 112

 

Introduction:  “A Psalm of Praise” – Praise ye the LORD!

 

A.  Psalm 112 begins with a blessing upon the man who chooses the fear of the Lord.  There is much said in the Bible concerning the fear of the Lord.

 

B.  “Fear the Lord” is found 30 times in the bible.  “Fear of the Lord” is also found 30 times in the Bible.  These are a few of the benefits of the fear of the Lord.

 

1.  The Fear of the Lord Gives Wisdom and Understanding. Job 28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord , that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

 

2.  The Fear of the Lord Is Clean. Psalm 19:9  The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

 

3.  The Fear of the Lord Is A Spiritual Teacher. Psalm 111:10  The fear of the Lord  is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

 

4.  The Fear of the Lord Gives the Knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord , and find the knowledge of God.

 

5.  The Fear of the Lord Hates Evil. Proverbs 8:13  The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

 

6.  The Fear of the Lord Prolongs Your Days. Proverbs 10:27  The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

 

7.  The Fear of the Lord Gives Strong Confidence. Proverbs 14:26  In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

 

8.  The Fear of the Lord Is A Fountain of Life. Proverbs 14:27  The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

 

9.  The Fear of the Lord Is A Great Treasure. Proverbs 15:16  Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.

 

10.  The Fear of the Lord Purges Iniquity. Proverbs 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

 

11.  The Fear of the Lord Brings Satisfaction. Proverbs 19:23  The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

 

12.  The Fear of the Lord Gives Riches, Honor, and Life. Proverbs 22:4  By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

 

13.  The Fear of the Lord Gives Protection. Isaiah 2:10  Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord , and for the glory of his majesty.

 

14.  The Fear of the Lord Is A Treasure. Isaiah 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

 

15.  The Fear of the Lord Brings Comfort. Acts 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

 

C.  The Fear of the Lord does not bring about a “Rose Garden” in life as God’s people have always paid a horrendous price for godliness.

 

1.  There will be Trials in Life - Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

 

2.  There will be Troubles in Persecution - 2 Timothy 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

 

D.  BUT, “Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” 

 

“Blessed” is often changed to “Happy” by a lot of people, but this is a mistake to do so.  You can be “blessed” when you are not happy.

 

Though life is often hard and unfair, those who choose the fear of the Lord are always blessed!

E.  Blessed!

 

Verse 2.  God will bless your family.  Young people are blessed by having parents who love God and live godly lives before them.  We are not Calvinist in that we think that our children have no choice, but we do give them the right choice to be chosen!  Dear LORD, give us a new generation to take our places when we are gone.

 

Verse 3.  God will bless your finances.  This does not mean that all God’s people will be rich, but it does mean that, when we put God first in our finances, He will supply all our need.  People tend to poverty through foolish choices in finances.  People tend to wealth through right choices in finances.

 

Verse 4.  God will bless your friends.  “A life lived is worth a thousand sermons preached.”  You acquaintances will see you for what you are and your influence upon them will be great.

 

Verse 5.  God will bless your favor.  You will treat others as graciously as God has been gracious to you.  Every soul we meet is one for whom Christ died!  “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you” is a Biblical principle.

 

Verse 6.  God will bless your followers.  You will stand in the Old Paths and the Old Ways giving continuity in a clear path from our fathers to the new fathers.  So many pastors and preachers have yielded the blessing of the Old Paths to the changing whims of a sinful world.  Be different!

 

Verse 7-8.  God will bless in your fixation.  You heart will be fixed upon the Lord and His service.  “I have decided to follow Jesus … though none go with me, still I will follow” is easier said than accomplished.  If you are saved, you got started right.  Finish right!

 

Verse 9-10.  God will bless your future.  None of us know what awaits us in the days to come, physically, financially, or spiritually but we do know Who holds tomorrow and Who holds our hand.

 

Conclusion:

 

Ecclesiastes 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

How To Walk Godly in An Ungodly World

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-5-2022

Psalm 101

 

Introduction:

 

A.  We live in difficult times: 

 

1.  As it was in the days of Noe: The mixing of the godly and ungodly lines.  Noah was the only just man alive.

 

2. As it was in the days of Lot: living in a world of sodomy.  Though God spared Lot, he lived a compromised life and died in a cave without repentance.

 

3.  As it was in Laodicea and now the Laodicean Church Age:  Apathy that brings about lukewarmness.  People no longer seem to have a desire for living for Christ.

 

4.  As it was in the perilous times of Timothy's Day:  A worldly Christianity.  Everybody is "saved" but few act like they are.

 

5.  As it was in the times of Apostasy: A general "falling away" from adherence to the Word of God.  Everything that Christians once stood for is under constant attack and the multitudes follow the apostate's pernicious ways.

 

6.  Have we said enough.  I am not trying to discourage you tonight, I am trying to exhort you and so much the more as we see the day approaching: the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

 

B.  In this Psalm, we find some directives concerning our steadfastness in these last perilous times.  3,000 years ago, when Psalm 101 was written, God gave Israel the solution to our problems today!  What a glorious Bible we hold in our hands!

 

C.  A simple outline is found here for godly living.

 

1.  Verse 1.  Your Worship.  I WILL SING!  Thank God for His mercy and judgment.  He loves us enough to both correct us and to be merciful to us at the same time.  That ought to make your heart SING!  "I will sing … O LORD, I will sing!"

 

Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

 

2.  Verse 2.  Your Walk.  I WILL BEHAVE!  We cannot control everything, but we are to control what we can.  It matters not how the world behaves because our behavior is a choice that we personally make.  When we were in our parent's house, we had to behave; when we came of age, we choose to behave.

 

Proverbs 28:18  Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

 

3.  Verses 3-5.  Your Witness.  I WILL NOT FOLLOW!  We are surrounded by the ungodly and they try to incorporate us into their way of thinking and lifestyle.  Stay close to God's House and God's people!  Keep your eyes on Christ, your hearts in the Bible, and constantly renew your minds. 

 

Exodus 23:2  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

 

3 John 11  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

 

4.  Verses 6-8.  Your Watch.  I WILL KEEP MY EYES UPON THE FAITHFUL!  Know that there are still good, godly people that walk with you.  Stay around and walk with these as God will destroy and cut off the wicked. 

 

Hebrews 10:22-25  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  (23)  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)  (24)  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  (25)  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.