Don't Fret

Welcome & Opening Prayer

TURN—PSALM 37

THANK—YOUTH RALLY VOLUNTEERS & KEVIN.

!! Open in Prayer !!

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Introduction

Sometimes life is fraught with problems and can seem backwards.

LOVE GOD’S WORD:

LIFE APPLICATION

HOPE

**REALISTIC ASSESSMENT of LIVING in FALLEN WORLD**

➡ Example: ECCLESIASTES VERSUS PROVERBS…

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SOMETIMES LIFE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

Testimony: ? THANKSGIVING BROUGHT SHOULDER PAIN?

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Relate: SOMETIMES—STRUGGLING…

MAKES YOU WANT to GIVE UP

MAKES YOU QUESTION... WHY YOU TRY

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Focus: LIFE MIGHT BE BACKWARDS @ TIMES…

… BUT in the END… ALL WILL BE MADE RIGHT.

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Transition ➡ BEGIN a 3 PART STUDY of PSALM 37…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 1-11

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Passage Reading & Context

Psalm 37:1–11 ESV

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

Church, this is God’s Word for us this morning.

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IV. Background:

KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THIS PSALM’S SETTING…

Author: KING DAVID — DAVID & GOLIATH, DAVID.

Structure: ACROSTIC — EACH STANZA FOLLOWS a CONSECUTIVE LETTER of HEBREW ALPHABET

**DON’T KNOW DAVID’S LIFE SITUATION**

BUT DAVID WRESTLED W/ THIS PROBLEM HIMSELF MANY TIMES…

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Today’s Text—4 KEY IDEAS:

DON’T FRET

TRUST GOD & DO GOOD

WAIT on GOD

TRUST GOD’S JUSTICE

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Transition ➡ LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 1-2

ENCOURAGEMENT: DON’T FRET.

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V. Passage Exposition

Thought 1: What Not to Do—Worry About Evildoers (v1–2)

Psalm 37:1–2 ESV

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

Focus: 3X in 11 VERSES—ADMONISHED “FRET NOT!”

Background: Hebrew Word

MEANS “GET HOT.… or EXCITED” — w/ ANGER

“FRET” .… More modern Equivalent: “GET YOURSELF INTO a TIZZY”

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The Issue: Prosperity of the Wicked

Ref Intro: SOMETIMES LIFE IS BACKWARDS

GOD-HATER PROSPERS

CHRISTIAN SUFFERS

PERSONAL LEVEL

CELEBRITIES

POLITICIANS—CORRUPTION SEEMS to BE WORKING OUT FOR THEM!

Reminder: FALLEN WORLD WILL HAVE PROBLEMS

Exhort: GOD NEVER PROMISED an EASY LIFE to the CHRISTIAN

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Transition ➡ REASON NOT to FRET

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Verse 2

(VERSE 2) “FOR/BECAUSE”… EVILDOERS/WRONGDOERS— WILL SOON FADE AWAY.

Challenge: LOOK to END of the STORY, NOT TODAY!

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Illustration: SCREENSHOTS DON’T REPRESENT the WHOLE STORY

PAUSE FRAME— FACES LOOK WEIRD

ONE SCENE—DOESN’T TELL the WHOLE STORY

Exhort: TRUST the STORY’S DIRECTOR—HE WILL FINISH IT WELL.

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Admonished: DON’T ENVY EVILDOERS—THEIR END is NOT GOOD.

Challenge: MUCH of WHAT WE ENVY = NATURAL…

2 Corinthians 4:18 ESV

18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Challenge: ENVYING NATURAL STUFF… WHEN WE HAVE a SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE = TRAGIC!

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Reference 1 Peter: INHERITANCE

IMPERISHABLE

UNDEFILED

UNFADING

KEPT in HEAVEN FOR US

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Transition ➡ Summary: “DON’T FRET”

NOW—WHAT TO DO…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 3-6

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Thought 2: What To Do—Trust the Lord With Your Way (v3–6)

Psalm 37:3–6 ESV

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Alternative: 3 IDEAS

TRUST in the LORD

DELIGHT YOURSELF in the LORD

COMMIT YOUR WAY to the LORD

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Verse 3:

Firstly: TRUST in the LORD & DO GOOD

Exhort: GREAT ACT of FAITH in BACKWARDS WORLD!

LAYING UP TREASURES in HEAVEN!

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Solution to Wrong Thing = Right Thing

ANSWER for ENVY … ISN’T TRYING HARDER NOT to BE ENVIOUS

IT’S to TRUST GOD—THAT HE is GOOD & WILL DO WHAT is RIGHT

Encourage: YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS—REPLACE BAD W/ GOOD…

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DON’T BE ENVIOUS

2. DON’T FRET—PERHAPS SOME GET WORKED UP WATCHING NEWS/SEEING PROBLEMS

SHUT OFF TV

READ YOUR BIBLE

TRUST GOD.

Reality Check: YOU CAN’T CONTROL:

OTHER PEOPLE

HISTORY

POLITICS

the WORLD

➡ ➡ ANYTHING.… BUT YOU!

TRUST GOD.

DO GOOD.

CULTIVATE DEPENDABILITY/FAITHFULNESS.

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Verse 4:

2. DELIGHT YOURSELF in the LORD

Word Background: DELIGHT = “TAKE PLEASURE IN”

Challenge: IF GOD is YOUR HEART’S DELIGHT…

… YOU WON’T ENVY OTHER PEOPLE

AS YOU DELIGHT in GOD—HE’LL GIVE YOU YOUR HEART’S DESIRES

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**Disclaimer: Not a Blank Check**

NOT HEAVENLY BUTLER

NOT GENIE in LAMP

Exhort: REMEMBER,, INTERNAL TRANSFORMATION

DELIGHTING YOURSELF in GOD CHANGES YOUR DESIRES!

➡ Believer’s Chief Aim: Glory of God

Challenge: NOT PERIPHERAL PART of OUR LIVES WHO DIGS US OUT of PROBLEMS

WHEN WORKING for HIS GLORY ➡ ➡ REST ASSURED HE WILL BRING THINGS to PASS!!

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Verse 5:

3. COMMIT YOUR WAY to the LORD & TRUST HIM…

Assurance: HE WILL ACT!

Word Study: “Commit” = ROLLING BURDEN ONTO ANOTHER

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

WE ROLL the BURDEN of THIS ENTIRE LIFE,, ONTO the LORD & TRUST in HIM…

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Taking Burdens to God

Challenge: HOW MANY of US WOULD RATHER COMPLAIN THAN PRAY?

EASY to COMPLAIN

BUT DO WE TAKE OUR COMPLAINTS,,

… to the ONE WHO CAN ACTUALLY FIX THEM??

song, What a Friend: “Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to the Lord in prayer”

Encourage: GOD ISN’T SCARED

COMPLAINTS

QUESTIONS

FRUSTRATIONS

BURDENS

PRAYER = GREAT INVITATION—WILL WE TAKE IT?

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Verse 6: HE WILL BRING FORTH YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

GOD WILL VINDICATE YOUR CAUSE—IN the END

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Exhort: DO GOOD. TRUST GOD.

Our Mission is to do good for the glory of God—trusting Him with the results

Challenge:

➡ WE CANNOT GUARANTEE the OUTCOME

➡ ➡ BUT WE CAN GUARANTEE OUR OBEDIENCE

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Transition ➡ ANOTHER ADMONITION:

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Thought 3: Patiently Wait for the Lord (v7–8)

Psalm 37:7–8 ESV

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

TRUST

DELIGHT

COMMIT

NOW.… “BE STILL & WAIT”

NOT JUST TRUSTING in THEORY—BUT ACTUALLY LETTING HIM HANDLE IT! BEING STILL & WAITING...

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The Difficulty of God’s Timeline

SCRIPTURE,, AGAIN & AGAIN,, REVEALS a GOD WHO WORKS on HIS OWN TIME.

ABRAHAM ➡ WAITED OVER 25 YEARS for ISAAC

JOSEPH ➡ WAITED 20 YEARS for DREAMS to COME TRUE,, 2 YEARS in JAIL,, 13 HARD YEARS

MOSES ➡ WAITED 40 YEARS in BACKSIDE of DESERT

JESUS ➡ DIDN’T BEGIN HIS MINISTRY UNTIL 30

— LAZARUS ➡ WAS DEAD 4 DAYS BEFORE JESUS SHOWED UP.

Takeaway: GOD WORKS on HIS SCHEDULE… NOT OURS.

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WE CANNOT BE PEOPLE of FAITH,, IF WE’RE ALWAYS GIVEN the ANSWERS

➡ WE TRUST HIM in the WAITING

➡ ➡ A DAY of VINDICATION is COMING…

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Transition ➡ WE’LL SEE THIS MORE in V9-11

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Thought 4: Trust the Lord’s Justice (v9–11)

Psalm 37:9–11 ESV

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

Further Reasoning to “Fret Not” … FOR…

EVILDOERS WILL BE CUT OFF

THOSE WHO WAIT WILL INHERIT the LAND

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Background: Deuteronomy Land Promise

BLESSING to THOSE WHO FOLLOWED GOD’S LAW

CURSES for DISOBEDIENCE

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SOMETIMES PRESENT = BACKWARDS

➡ FUTURE—GOD WILL VINDICATE

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MEEK/RIGHTEOUS WILL INHERIT LAND

&& DELIGHT THEMSELVES in ABUNDANT PEACE…

Peace = WHOLENESS/ COMPLETENESS

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Gospel Invitation: A Heavenly Promised Land

GOD STILL GIVES ABUNDANT PEACE—BUT PEACE in LIFE STEMS from PEACE W/ OUR CREATOR…

PEACE W/ GOD HINGES on FAITH in JESUS CHRIST

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant Hope:

PRESENTLY—HOPE is NOT in EARTHLY LAND—BUT of a HEAVENLY LAND.

REQUIRES TRUSTING in the LORD—JESUS CHRIST

REQUIRES COMMITING OURSELVES FULLY to HIM in FAITH

REQUIRES the MEEKNESS ACCOMPANYING SALVATION—DEPENDENCE UPON HIM.

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IN CHRIST—WE HAVE HOPE

LAY UP TREASURES in HEAVEN

INHERITANCE—IMPERISHABLE, UNDEFILED, UNFADING, KEPT in HEAVEN…

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Trust In Jesus, What it Does:

TRUSTING in JESUS CHRIST,,, WON’T FIX ALL EARTHLY PROBLEMS

WON’T BRING EARTHLY WEALTH or HEALTH

WON’T BRING a NEW CAR or BIG HOUSE

WON’T SETTLE YOUR RETIREMENT

TRUSTING in JESUS CHRIST➡ WON’T BRING a REVERSAL TODAY

BUT IT WILL GUARANTEE the END

Gospel: REQUIRES PERSONAL TRUST in JESUS CHRIST.…

… WHO BORE OUR SINS & ROSE for OUR JUSTIFICATION

TALK to ME AFTER SERVICE

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Transition ➡ NOW...FOR the BELIEVER:

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Application

Passage Idea: Don’t fret about the wicked but faithfully do good while waiting on the Lord.

Instead of Fretting/Envy

WE TRUST GOD & DO GOOD

WE DELIGHT in GOD

WE COMMIT OUR WAY to GOD—TRUST RESULTS to HIM.

WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM WITHOUT ANGER or FRETTING

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CAN’T FIX the WORLD… BUT CAN FIX YOUR EYES on GOD.

CAN’T CONTROL OTHERS… BUT CAN CONTROL YOURSELF

CAN’T ADJUST the TIMELINE… BUT CAN WAIT in FAITH

Challenge: DO YOU TRUST—GOD DOES a BETTER JOB RUNNING the UNIVERSE THAN YOU DO?

NOT HAPPY W/ SCREENSHOT/PRESENT SCENE ➡ ➡ TRUST,, END PICTURE = GLORIOUS

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Conclusion:

IT’S NOT OUR JOB to FIX EVERYTHING THAT’S WRONG…

BUT to TRUST the ONE WHO WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT.

IN HIM WE CAN HOPE

!! Close in Prayer !!