Making the Most of Evil Days
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VIDEO: 2018 Year in review (video by Associated Press)
2018 Year in review (video by Associated Press)
I wonder what this year will bring? Any predictions?
we live in a world that isn’t really getting any better is it?
The Story = evil days - things will get worse.... - There will be an increase of wars and natural disasters () - there will be increasing hatred for Israel and the church ().... we should expect it to get harder to live as God’s people in this world....not easier...
Last week we numbered our days - I wrote down the wrong number for myself - the number I gave was the days I had already spent - not the days I have left! Which is a much smaller number… our days our limited, too precious to waste on empty things- so how can we make the most of those days as things worse- when it feels like evil is winning?
Our days are not getting easier - getting harder to live as God’s people in this world....The Story = evil days - things will get worse..
There will be an increase of wars and natural disasters (
).
Israel and the church will undergo an era of being hated by the nations (
). getting harder to live as God’s people in this world....
So If we only so many days left - how can we make the most of those days as things worse- when it feels like evil is winning?
If we only so many days left - how can we make the most of those days as things worse- when it feels like evil is winning?
— First few verses give us some instruction for living as God’s people during crazy and evil days -
Wisdom song - collection of proverbs - each refrain begins with a letter of the Hebrew language - and these proverbs speak to the problem of facing evil days - days where it feels like evil is winning... which must have been a real issue at the time this was written…
Wisdom song - collection of proverbs - for people facing evil days - days where it feels like evil is winning...
Wisdom song - collection of proverbs - for people facing evil days - days where it feels like evil is winning...
Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
the same issue is repeated in v 8-9
“Fret not yourselves because of evildoers” the same issue is repeated in v 8-9
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Sandwiched between these verses are 3 positive actions - three proverbs with positive commands - when facing evil days do these things… live this way..
Wisdom song - collection of proverbs - for people facing evil days - days where it feels like evil is winning...
so the
“Fret not yourselves because of evildoers”
This is true wisdom Living wisely in 2019… Wisdom song - collection of proverbs - for people facing evil days - days where it feels like evil is winning...
First few verses lay out some instruction for living as God’s people during crazy and evil days - particularly important for us… The Story = evil days - things will get worse
Sandwiched between these verses are 3 positive actions - three proverbs with positive commands - when facing evil days do these things… live this way..
Warning: These instructions are counter intuitive - opposite to how we usually think and react - they stand out from our typical reasoning - our usual response to evil days: Fret/fearful worry - Envy/Jealousy - Anger/Wrath -
Often God’s people simply display religious versions of these responses - Far too often the church just looks like the rest of the world - such responses have no real power to change anything, there is nothing really attractive or different…
1) Trust the Lord and Do good. (withdraw)
HackSaw Ridge - Desmond T. Doss - an unarmed medic saving lives while everyone else is fighting...
Trusting God and continuing to do good is hard to do in evil days… hard to keep trusting and doing good when it seems like nothing is changing, when doing good just seems to bring you more trouble…
Trusting God and continuing to do good is hard to do in evil days… hard to keep trusting and doing good when it seems like nothing is changing, when doing good just seems to bring you more trouble…
Joel & $100 taken from his friends house… he did the right thing but his friend was mad at him - some called him a snitch - doing good gave him grief…made his life more difficult!
If we think Trusting and doing is merely a matter of trying harder we will burn out quickly --- if we think following any of these instructions is a matter of our own will and effort — we will consistanly fail — Because trusting and doing is a matter of - “Delight"
LOTR Trivia Game - LUCAS great delight in these stories - really into it - +
delighting in something means your heart is set on it - you see it as the source of Extreme satisfaction - if you delight in something you are really into it…
We easily serve the things we delight in...
o Definition of Delight : Extreme Satisfaction, great pleasure
We trust and obey the things we delight in… Definition of Delight : Extreme Satisfaction, great pleasure
Lucas din’t think twice about spending the time watching the movies - he easily found the 11 hr 22 min
delighting in something means your heart is set on it - you see it as the source of Extreme satisfaction - if you delight in something you are really into it…
delighting in something means your heart is set on it - you see it as the source of Extreme satisfaction
Our hearts suffer from a bad case of - "Misplaced Delight"
We get discouraged when trusting God and doing Good works doesn’t bring us recognition, or a better pay check, or more pleasurable experiences, or better circumstances…
WHY because what we’re really delighting in is money, or comfort, the praise and recognition of people, or good health, or pleasurable experiences, or a problem free life… instead of JESUS
Even when we get some of these things… our heart desire for love, security, and significance is never fully met — why because the source of all our heart longings is JESUS - - only Jesus can truly give us what our hearts long for!
His love, His family, His kingdom - he is great, he is glorious, he is good, there is pleasure and glory in his presence that are exactly what our hearts truly long for - that are more permanent, more solid, more real than any of the cheap imitations we foolishly fall in love with…
- created things that we think we fill our desires for love, security, and signifigance - but what we really desire is Jesus - Those heart longings are for what only he can give you!
but what we really desire is Jesus - Those heart longings are for what only he can give you!
Jesus loves us with an everlasting love that not even death can separate you from,
By faith Jesus adopts us into his family, where we are loved and accepted - based not on who we are but on who he is and his sacrifice that pays for our sin and unites us together as one.
Jesus brings us into his eternal kingdom that will be full of pleasures and glory that is far greater than anything we’ve ever known!
- Jesus brings us into his eternal kingdom that is bringing pleasures and glory that is far greater than anything we’ve ever known! All because he has chosen you according to his eternal purpose…nothing could be more significant!
When we delight in Jesus - when we Get into Jesus - like Lucus gets into LOTR - Trusting and doing Good is like a glorious act of defiance in the face of evil - He is Glorious and he is mine - Evil can do it’s worst and I still get his best!
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
LOTR Trivia Game - LUCAS great delight in these stories - really into it.... Lily was right in there with him..
English Standard Version Psalm 37
Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
rossway Bibles.All because he has chosen you according to his eternal purpose…nothing could be more significant!
delighting in something means your heart is set on it - you see it as the source of Extreme satisfaction - if you delight in something you are really into it…
Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
We easily serve the things we delight in...
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.All because he has chosen you according to his eternal purpose…nothing could be more significant!
When our delight isn’t in what our good works are accomplishing -
Lucas din’t think twice about spending the time watching the movies - he easily found the 11 hr 22 min
Our hearts suffer from a bad case of - "Misplaced Delight"
We get discouraged when trusting God and doing Good works doesn’t bring us recognition, or a better pay check, or more pleasurable experiences, or better circumstances…
WHY because what we’re really delighting in is money, or comfort, the praise and recognition of people, or good health, or pleasurable experiences, or a problem free life… instead of JESUS
There
Even when we get some of these things… our heart desire for love, security, and significance is never fully met — why because the source of all our heart longings is JESUS - - only Jesus can truly give us what our hearts long for!
His love, His family, His kingdom - he is great, he is glorious, he is good, there is pleasure and glory in his presence that are exactly what our hearts truly long for - that are more permanent, more solid, more real than any of the cheap imitations we foolishly fall in love with…
When we delight in Jesus - when we Get into Jesus - like Lucas gets into LOTR - Trusting and doing Good will follow --- Doing good becomes like a glorious act of defiance in the face of evil - He is Glorious and he is mine - Evil can do it’s worst and I still get his best!
He is your
“Light you candle on the front porch of HELL” -
When we delight in the Lord the next command will come a lot easier as well!
As the world gets crazier - don’t hide, don’t be paralyzed by fear and worry, don’t bury your head in the sand, fight evil by trusting God and doing good…
Commit you way to the Lord
1) Trust the Lord and do good.
2) Commit you way to the Lord (control)
"Commit" - act. in a manner that is earnest and eager to a principle or person - entrusting
Again we are far more willing to commit to things we delight in.. the athlete who dreams of competing in the Olympics - commits his way to his trainer - Every aspect of his life is impacted as he follow the training program - practicing, working out, eating, sleeping, etc.
To commit you way to the Lord is to literally to surrender yourself to his way - to order your entire life around his principles, his commands, for living as his people in this world…
Again this is the opposite of our typical response in evil days… we have many different strategies for coping, our way of making things work, our way of doing things that keeps us in control, that make sens to us — to surrender ourselves to some other way seems risky and weak in a world of uncertainty… In fact we can be so busy trying to work things out on our own we don’t even have time to think about God’s way…
But to commit your way to the Lord is more of a promise than a command -
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
it opens your life up to his activity -
it opens your life up to his activity -
Instead of you trying to work everything out on your own, instead of carrying the weight the worry and the anxiety, instead of you pushing and striving to change your situation, to change the people around you, - Let God worry about all that- - let him shape your living and trust him to act – to work out the details...
AND HE WILL MAKE YOU SHINE! You will stand out in a good way! There will be a quality to your life, a peace, a stability, even when you’re facing big challenges…
There are many ways - many opinions - many philosophies of life — and some seem to provide some solutions - some more immediate results....
when he delights in his way;
23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
English Standard Version Psalm 37
23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.
for the LORD upholds his hand.
There are other ways, other philosophies of life, that seem to offer some immediate solutions…
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
English Standard Version Psalm 37
23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.
This is difficult when we don’t see progress, when it feels like no matter which way we turn there is trouble… when the desired results aren’t experienced or when things get worse even though we are following
There are many ways - many opinions - many philosophies of life — and some seem to provide some solutions - some more immediate results....
3) Be still before the Lord and wait patently for him
3) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. (react)
2) Commit you way to the Lord
3) Be still before the Lord and wait patently for him. (react)
‘Be Still’ - is not a call to inactivity, it’t not talking about disconnecting from the world - or freeing yourself from responsibilities so you have less to do - Be Still could also be translated ‘Be Silent’
Martin Luther translated this, "Be silent to God, and let Him hold thee."
“Keep Calm and Carry On” - the original poster was produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War…but the war started and only a few went up before the bombing began.. - what ridiculous advice!
- Again it’s the opposite of our natural response...
Again it’s the opposite of our natural response... we react - speaking and acting in fear, worry, anger,
Boat on the Thames River - turn the wheel and nothing would happen so he turned it farther and then the boat careened one way so he would whip the wheel the other way - turning it farther and farther until suddenly the boat swooshed in the other direction…
So this is the opposite of protesting, grumbling, or lashing out
Boat on the Thames River - turn the wheel and nothing would happen so he turned it farther and then the boat careened one way so he would whip the wheel the other way - turning it farther and farther until suddenly the boat swooshed in the other direction…
took a while to kick in - so the trick was to turn the wheel just a bit and hold it there - wait for things to kick in —
Be Still and Wait for the Lord = instead of reacting, holding steady anticipating what is coming - what God will eventually bring…
This is iabout, instead of reacting, holding steady anticipating what is coming - what God will eventually bring…
Wait - adding 'patently' implies an extended period of time…
Key to waiting is ‘anticipation’ - or what the bible calls ‘hope’ - looking forward to what is guaranteed...
(ESV)
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
Things are going to get worse. This year will be crazy. God is calling you to respond in faith…
Which instruction do you find the most challenging?
(ESV)
34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off. V - 12 & 13
How can you begin to put it into practice?
What must you do to begin putting it into practice?
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
NOTES:
We tend to trust and obey the things we delight in…
o Definition of Delight : Extreme Satisfaction, great pleasure
· Newlyweds who delight in each other - trust each other - will do anything for each other - think the best of each other…
o delighting in something means your heart is set on it - you see it as the source of Extreme satisfaction
We make a mistake if we think Trusting and doing is merely a matter of trying harder = Because there is a deeper issue - "Misplaced Delight"
Disappointed after attaining what you thought you wanted? Because what you thought you wanted wasn't really what your heart desired -
- The disappointment comes Because what you really want - the deeper desire isn't met
· Think money will satisfy us - feel significant, feel secure, people will like us - end up trusting and obeying the pursuit of money because money is the object of your delight.
· Think relationships will satisfy us - feel loved, secure, maybe more significant - End up trusting and obeying that person because he or she is the object of your delight.
· Think that a position of authority will satisfy us - feel significant and important, sense of security you can control some things - End up trusting and obeying the career path - because your career is the object of your delight.
· Some people think Religious practice will satisfy - they think they are Delighting in the Lord but what they are really delighting in is - a kind of Church service, or a style of music, or a type of Preaching or Leading - you end up trusting and obeying in the requirements of a particular Religious practice.
All these things are temporary tools – because their temporary they change – When change comes people respond with fear, panic, protest - WHY because their delight is in those things – not the Lord
God's people, when their delight is in the Lord, become like those crosses standing in the midst of a crumbling world - simply trusting God and doing good. Change isn’t something that causes fear, or panic, or protest – because their delight is in the living Jesus.
