God's Judgment and the Path of the Righteous Week 18

So we're right down now on on Roman number two in verses 6- 11. Let me read those. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon day. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Fret not thyself because of him who prosperth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Fret not thyself any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be. Yay, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

And so, in verse 11, but the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. And so, he kind of introduces this idea, you know, no matter what you see going on, just do right. You you got to be faithful and to do it right. You know, they're getting away with this and and all the things going on in the world. We just got to say, you know what? I'm just going to stay faithful and trust the Lord and do what's right. And so in verse letter number eight, he talks about the right righteousness. They need to rest in the Lord and wait patiently. All this is what we covered.

And and and we we fret and and and our fret leads to doing evil because we because of our fret, we we start making bad decisions and making wrong choices and getting depressed. And so and he talks about that. And he talks about the difference between anger. He says in verse number eight, cease from anger and forsake wrath. And anger, the word means flex in the nose. What do you get mad? You get upset about something. You you see something. But wrath means hot or passionate. And and he says, listen, don't let your anger take control. Be angry and sin not. It tells us in the book of Ephesians, don't let the anger take control.

And what happens when you allow the anger to take a root and and to take control, then it builds up to other things all the way up to wrath. and it it just keeps on building. We saw that in Ephesians chapter 4. And and so you don't want to let that take control. Our emotions are a gift from God. There's nothing wrong with our emotions. It's when we misuse emotions, we allow them to control us rather than to enjoy and control them in the way we should. And then um verses 9- 11 is is taught in ver in Matthew 5:5. and and then he goes and and and talks about verse 10 for yet a little while. And and that's the struggle we have because God's calendar is not the same as our calendar.

Uh I've talked about this before. My wife and I are very different personalities. She's the uh detailed got to do it right. Uh and she's very very meticulous in that way. And I'm the kind of guy that just whatever, you know. And uh we have very different definitions of certain words. And one of those is is is time. Uh when my wife says, "Can you do this?" I'll say, "In a minute." Now, in my dictionary, in a in her dictionary, it means 60 seconds from now. In my dictionary, in a minute means sometime in the future, but don't hold your breath. And uh so those definitions get her frustrated because she's thinking it's been 60 seconds.

In fact, it's been 5 minutes and it's still not done. And uh and we get a lot of conflict over that. And so, we have to understand God's definition of a little while. A little while to mean means not very long. To God it means not very long. But his long is different than my long. A day the Lord is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day. And so we've got to remember that and and keeping that in mind. And and so he said, "Listen, they're going to get theirs, but you got to wait and it's going to be a little while. And that may be a long while in your book, but it's going to happen." And then he talks about the wicked.

This is where we stopped at. So let's take a look at this in verses 12 and 13. It says, "The wicked plot against the just and nashethth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming." And and so God will laugh at the wicked. Uh and he looks at him and says, you know, you know, it's it's kind of like you look at some people and you kind of got to laugh and say, "What are you thinking?" And and how do you think you're going to get away with this? How do you think, you know, it it is God just laughs? It's not that he's making a joke out of him, but it's just like he shakes his head and said, "What's wrong with those people?"

And um look at uh Psalms 37:es 23- 26. I'm sorry, I'm I'm wrong place. Psalms, we just looked at verse 12 and 13. Look at Psalms 2 and verse number 4. Psalms chapter 2 and verse number four. He that siteth in the heaven shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision. And then also Psalms chapter 59 and verse number eight. Psalms chapter 59 and verse number eight. But thou, oh Lord, shall laugh at them. Thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. And and so God God does have a sense of humor, I believe. And it's not that he makes fun of us like some people will do, but he he just has to laugh and just say, you know, what do you think you're doing?

How do you think you know, sometimes with my we've got our grandkids right now, and sometimes the things they do uh that are wrong. Hey, you ever had this problem where you you're you're you're trying to be stern with them, but you're about ready to break out laughing, you know, because it was they did wrong, but it was so funny what they did. It's like, you know, it's hard not to smile and laugh while you're telling them you're in trouble, you know, and and that's that's where God is at. He's looking to say, you think you're getting away with this. You think you're doing so great. And he's just got to laugh at them.

And u and and he says that they cannot condemn our our testimony. Look at verses 14 and 15. The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart and their bows shall be broken. You know, they they think they're going to take a shot at you and that arrow just turns around and shoots them right back. And and and and you know that that testimony. Look at 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse number 12. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse number 12. 1 Peter 2:12, "Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that where they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation."

And and the sad truth is this is that for a lot of Christians, um they don't have a good testimony. Look at chapter 3 and look at verses 15 and 16. It says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready to always give an answer to every man that ask you a reason to hope that is in you with meekness and fear, having a good conscience. So whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversations in Christ." And and so here what they're saying is that you know these the wicked are going to try to attack you. They're going to shoot arrows at you.

They're going to they're going to pull out the sword against you and and they're going to try to attack you. But if you've got the testimony that you ought to have, they've got nothing to do. They just going to turn around, come right back on them. And and so we need to realize that that they're going to they're going to try to turn around. And you see that again where where they they turn around against Christians and and and and immediately attack them rather than seeing that the problem is themselves as well. Um look at number three is little is much when God is in it. Look at verses 16 and 17.

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. And we need to realize that God doesn't need the the big bucks. God doesn't need all these things to accomplish his purpose. You know, it's nice when God, you know, in in God's ministry where he provides that. Um we um we recently had a miracle with the building where they uh instead of doubling our rent from 23,000 to 40,000 uh they actually lowered it a little bit. And I I think I mentioned to you that my wife was her class would have prayer every Sunday morning before class.

Some of the ladies would meet for prayer. And one of the ladies in there prayed and said this. She said, "Lord, Pharaoh doesn't need the money." And uh and and so she was asking God not to give it to Pharaoh, not to give it to this this company that had all kinds of money. They own property everywhere. They don't need the money. And uh and and and and they don't need it. And and neither do we because God can provide. Instead of us having to find all this extra money, God said, "You don't need that. I'll take care of it." And and and it's God is saying, "Listen, you can do more with the little you have than all the riches they have."

You know, sometimes I'll look and say, man, what what could we do with that money, you know, that you see out there that these billionaires have, you know, recently Elon Musk became a trillionaire, you know, and thinking, man, what what could be accomplished with that in the Lord's work and and all but God doesn't need that. Uh look at Proverbs chapter 15 and verse number 16. Proverbs chapter 15 and verse number 16. Proverbs 15:16 says, "Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith." You know, sometimes we think if I just had that. And I I know all of us think, boy, if I had all that money, I would I would not buy big houses.

I would not waste it all. I would do all these great things. But the truth is, most of us would not. You know, there's some we I had a good friend um name was Russ Anderson and he was a millionaire, had quite a bit of money. He had made his money building buildings and and back in the 70s and 80s and and was very wealthy and he used all of his money. His goal was he would die broke. Uh he was giving away money left and right. He would give it to missions works in all over the world and give it to churches and build Bible colleges and and uh gave a lot of that money. He truly did take his riches and use it.

Now, he still had some nice things. Uh he he had some nice cars. He had a nice place, but he didn't spend all his money on that. But but the point is is that we don't need that. And and and sometimes that money, that riches comes with a price to pay. And uh and we don't need that in our lives. And then Proverbs 16:8, better little with righteousness than great revenues without right. And so keep that in mind. There's nothing wrong with having money. There's nothing wrong with making a good salary. There's nothing wrong with having nice things. It's just we need to make sure that that's not the focus of our life.

You know, I've I've seen people that had nice things, but also they gave much of it to the Lord. And uh he probably I I think he probably gave 80 to 90% of his income he gave it to to the Lord's work and lived on the other 10%. Uh he realized I didn't need all that. And uh and and so we have to remember that. And then going back to Psalms chapter 37:18, the Lord knoweth the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever. And and we need to remember that our focus should be on the eternal, not on the temporal. You know that that we need to realize that my treasures are laid up in heaven.

Uh look at Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and verses 17 and 18. Romans 8 17 and 18. And of children that heirs, heirs of God and joint hes with Christ, and so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. And just remember, we may not have much in this life, but we've got we got the inheritance of God in next life. Lay up treasures in heaven, Jesus said. And and we need to remember that. And then verse number 19, he says, "They shall not be ashamed in the evil time.

In the days of famine, they shall be satisfied." In other words, my God shall spy all your needs according to riches and glory by Christ Jesus. Now remember that promise comes with a caveat and that is that the Philippian church had given time and time again out of their poverty. They had given of their the riches of God. They had given over and over again to the Lord's work. even out of their poverty. And because of that, God said, "I will supply your need." It's not a blanket promise in that, you know, you can spend all the money you want and God's going to take care of you. It it's remind you though that God will take care of your needs.

And then verse number 22, look at verses 20- 22. But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the Lord shall be as a fat of lambs. They shall consume into smoke shall they they consume away. The wicked borroweth and payth not again. But the righteous show showeth mercy and giveth for such as he is blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. You know that poor people give more money than rich people by percentage. Uh it it just you know when the rich don't understand this principle and um and he goes on verse 22 and and he's kind of summarized the chapter for such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they shall and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

in the end there's a price to pay and we have to remember that. All right. And then um number three there he goes on in verses 23- 40 and talks about okay now where are you going instead of having your focus on all these wicked people that got all the money. What about you? What are you doing with your life? What are you doing with what you have? And God turns that focus back onto him. And so in verse 23, this says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delightth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his hand." So it's he's going in the right way.

And verse number 25, I've been young and now I'm old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed. So he's saying, listen, you need to make sure you're on the right way. Go to Psalms 119 verse 105. Psalms 119 and verse 105. He says, "Thy word is a lamp under my feet and a light unto my path." Make sure that I've got God's word lighting my way. That I'm on that right path. I'm on that right direction. I'm following the way that God wants me to do. And you know, he says, "The steps of a good man." The idea of that word, the lamp under my feet, the light of my path, the lamp is like a lantern.

And if you ever walked in the dark with a lantern, it puts a circle of light around you. And you every step you take, that circle moves with you. And so you you taken one step at a time within the circle of light. And God will guide you one step at a time. You know, we get looking ahead and say, "What am I going to do way over there?" Well, I can't do that until I get there. And so I need to look at what I need to do right here where I'm at. And then the the light on my the lamp under my feet, the light on my path, the light is like a flashlight where you can shine it ahead a little bit and see some things, see what's coming up as well.

And and so God says, listen, make sure you're on the right way. Now look at verse number 23. It says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. He delightth in his way." And then look back at verse number five. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Um verse number four, delight thyself also in the Lord. And and when we when we delight oursel in God, when we want to be on God's path, God's way, doing what God wants us to do, that's when God guides us. But when we're going our own way, God's not going to guide us. And so, we need to make sure we're on that right way.

When we fall, we need to get back up. Go to Proverbs 24 and verse number 16. Proverbs 24 and verse number 16. For a just man fallth seven times and rises up again, but the wicked shall fall into mischief. You know, when you do stumble and you fall, get back up again. You know, that's what you have to do and don't stay down. And so God says, "Listen, you need to make sure you're delighting the way. Make sure you're following the path that I've set for you. Make sure that you're got that light to light light your way and and on the right path there." And then look at verse number um ix number verses um 25 and 26.

I have been young and now I'm old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. He's ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed. I I'll tell you when I when I was a young Christian and a young pastor, when I read that passage, I didn't understand it like I do now now that I'm 70 years old because I look back at life with a whole different perspective. I I've been young and now I'm old. And and and I think as being a pastor, you are at the best place in my career to be at because I have got the wisdom of all the age to share with you of the last 70 years. I I I've got the wisdom of the things that I did right and the things that I did wrong and the things that I wish I would have done.

And so I, you know, right now I'm teaching a young marriage Bible study class on Friday night for these young couples. And and and I'm just trying to say to them, listen, this is what I wish somebody would have told me when I was your age. This is something I wish I would have done when I was your age. I didn't learn it until now. And and I I've missed 40 year 48 years of enjoying it because I didn't learn it until later on. And those of us that are old, that's one of our callings in life is God has called to say, "Listen, I've been there and and I can tell you what to do because I did the right things in this case, but I did the wrong things."

We can share the wisdom and and that's what what um David is looking at there too as well. And and so age gives us a new and different perspective in life. And uh and and the unfortunate thing is we can't go back. I can't go back and get married again, you know, at a young age. Uh I can't go back and have young children again. And I I've missed those opportunities. I can't go do it over again. But those of you that are younger can you want to learn that. By the way, you should have a patriarch in your family, in your in your life. Uh somebody's older, wiser, been there and done that that is your counselor and your guide in life.

Every one of you should find someone that's older than you. And I'll tell you what, as you get older, it's harder to do. There's not a lot of people in the church that are over my age. Um, but uh those of you younger, you find somebody at least 10 years older than you and say to them, "Listen, I want you to share your wisdom. Tell me what's on the path. Tell me what steps I've got to avoid. Tell me what are the pitfalls and the potholes I'm going to be facing. Tell me what you did right. tell me what you did wrong. Tell me what you wish you would have done now that you know it and and get that wisdom that you can get.

And that's what he's trying to say here. And and David is trying to get across and that's what a lot of Psalms is about. Now then in verses 27 and 28, he talks about stop going the wrong way. Verse 27, depart from evil and do good and dwell forever more. For the Lord, excuse me, loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints. They are preserved forever, but the sea of the wicked shall be cut off. And so he says, listen, stop going the wrong way. If you're going to go the right way, you got to stop going the wrong way. You got to repent and turn to the right path. And and that's so important. Uh look at Psalms chapter um 19 and verse number 14.

Psalms chapter 19 and verse number 14. My pages are sticking together a little over here. Psalms 19:14. The Bible says, "Let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight." Oh, I I skipped a section there, didn't I? No, that's right. Be acceptable in my sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. And and so God says, "Listen, you got to make the right choices in the words that you use as well." And and make the right choices in what you're going to do. You got to forsake not as saints. They're preserved forever, but the sea of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell there and forever.

So making the saying the right things and and not backsliding. Look at Psalms 49 verse number three. Um my mouth shall speak of wisdom and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. And they go to Luke chapter 21 and verse number 15. Luke chapter 21 and verse number 15. Luke 21:15. For I will give you a mouth of wisdom and wisdom which shall all your adversar shall not be able to gain, say, nor resist. Now go back to Psalms 37. I didn't finish reading the section there. Verse 30. who says, "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talkth of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart.

None of his sept shall slide. The wicked watchth the righteousness seeketh his way." So he says, "Listen, if you're going to go the right way, it starts with your mouth." Now, what does he mean by that? Why is it so important that we say the right things? Why is it so important that we the words of my mouth be right if I'm going to be on the right path? Think about that for a minute. Why is that so important? because he's talking about listen don't go the wrong way and if you're not going to go the wrong way then the words of the righteous speak wisdom his tongue talkth the jud judgment so the law of his God is in his heart none of the steps shall slide I think what happens is is is what comes out of our mouth really affects what we're going to do next if all I'm doing is complaining I'm not going to go the right way if if all I'm doing is griping I'm not going to go the right way you know when people whine and complain and and say bad things, you know what they're doing?

They're giving life to those words. You may think them, but once they come out of your mouth, then you're giving life to them. You're breathing life into them. And it's important that we have the right attitude, and it starts with your mouth. The people I've I've seen in life that have been on the right path are people that have just a very positive attitude and a very positive way of of approaching things. And and so he's saying, "Listen, don't complain. You can complain all you want about the wicked. All that's going to do is make you discouraged. Stop complaining. Just get on with your life and and get going the right direction."

And he says, "Listen, don't backslide. Um don't fall back into these things. The Lord, the law of his God is heart. None of his steps shall slide." Look at Jeremiah chapter 7 and verses 23 and 24. Jeremiah 7 and:es 23 and 24. Jeremiah 7:23 it says, "But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people, and walk in all the ways that I've commanded you that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not nor inclined their ear, but walked in the count in the councils and the imagination of their heart, and went backward and not forward." You know, so many often what we do is we end up going backwards instead of forward.

Take one step forward, take two steps back. Uh look at Jeremiah chapter 8 and verses 4-6. Moreover, thou shalt say unto them, thus sayeth the Lord, shall they fall and not arise? Shall he turn away and not return? Widen is his people of Jerusalem slitten back by perpetual backsliding. They hold fast deceit. They refused to return. I hearkened to her, but they spake not a right. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, "What have I done?" Everyone turns turned to his courses about horse rushes in the battle. I was behind a car the other day and the bumper sticker that had a car sticker that said, "I'm lost, but I'm making good time."

You know, and and so often we're rushing in the wrong direction. And we need to stop and make sure we're on the right path. We're going the right way. We're not backsliding. We're not going the wrong way. And and he said, "Listen, make sure you're on the right path there." And then going back to Psalms chapter 32 and look at verses 32-4. It says, "The wicked watch the righteous and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalty to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, they shall see it.

I've seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not. Yet I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright. Um, for the end of the band is peace, but the transgressor shall be destroyed together. The end of the wicked shall be cut off, but the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He is their strength in in the time of trouble. And and so what I put here is obey the traffic laws. You know, when you're on that right path, you got to obey God's laws. You got to follow the path that God has put to you.

Look at Psalms chapter 27. and verses 13 and 14. Psalms chapter 27:es 13 and 14. I had fainted lest I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living. Wait in the Lord. Be of good courage and you strengthen the heart. Wait, I say in the Lord. Don't get discouraged. Don't quit. Don't give up. Be patient. Look at Proverbs chapter 20 and verse number 22. Proverbs chapter 20 and verse number 22. Say not thou, I will recompense evil, but wait in the Lord and he shall save thee. So you got to learn to be patient. You know, we want to rush ahead. I was driving in the road the other day and and this guy was just in a panic to get, you know, he's going around everybody rushing ahead.

Got to next light and he was stopped just like I was. And then he took off and got next light and there he was again. No matter how fast he was going, he wasn't going to get there any faster than I was going to get there. We get in such a rush. We we're not willing to wait on the Lord and be patient. Let God work these things out. And sometimes that's hard to do. I remember when we first came here to Hawaii and we we were renting and paying what we thought at the time was a lot of money. It would be a real great rate now. Back in the 80s, it was a lot different is today. But we we thought, boy, we wish we could buy.

And I'm seeing all these people that are buying houses and got all the money to buy houses and stuff like that. I'm think I'm serving the Lord. Why doesn't God give me a house? And we kept wanting to do it, want to do it, but we didn't have the money to do it. Didn't have the opportunity to do it. And then back in 2001, God gave us a house. I mean, literally, it's it's like he gave us this house and and it just he did his timing and and and if we r my we drive around, my wife always says, "I'm glad we're not living there. I'm not glad we're not living there." Cuz you know, I'm the kind of guy I've told you before, I like I can fit the square peg in the round hole.

And so I was, you know, we'd look at houses, we can make this work. And my wife said, "No, we can't make it work." You know, and uh and and I was g, you know, I I was wanting to do it rush ahead of God and then but the Lord just said, "Wait." And when he provided that house, it was his timing. And he did it such a way that it's just a miracle of God. And and that's what we have to learn to do is wait on the Lord. And uh and remember that this too shall pass in verses 35 and 36. I've seen the wicked and great power spreading himself like a green bay tree, yet he passed away. You know, it seems like they're getting away with everything and then God changes it.

The last few years, transgenderism and homosexuality just seemed like was taking over the world. It seems like no time at all. There's not be no heterosexuals left. And now they've gone back down again. Now, it doesn't mean they're going to stay out of sight and they're they're still fighting to get their way, but you know, we get so excited about politics and and both ways, politics is not going to change the world. I live back in the days of what was called the moral majority back in the 70s, Jerry Fwell, and it was it was all about politics and taking over the government. And we did the Reagan years.

Conservatives took over, Christians took over. It was it was really great. But then they got out of power and nectar came in and turned it all around. And and it's not going to be politics going to solve this. It's going to be God. And so just just step back and be patient. Wait on the Lord. And then uh Mark them verse number 37. Mark the perfect man. Behold the upright for the end of that man is peace. Look at Romans 16:17. Romans 16:17. says, "Now I beseech you, therefore, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them." Okay? So, mark the good man and mark the bad man.

You know, one of the things about church, one of the blessings of church is this is that I get to go to church and see what other people are doing. And I look at people, I say, "Hey, that guy's got his act together. That's what I want to be like. Mark the people that are doing right. Those are the ones you should be going to for advice. Those are the ones you should be watching them and say, "Okay, what do they do? That's what I need to do." And and follow that, but mark them which are wrong as well. Look at um Philippians chapter 3 and verse number 17. We're studying the book of Philippians on Sunday nights.

If you're not here, you're missing out a lot of good studies. But Philippians 3:17, brethren, be followers together of me and mark them which walk. So as you have us for an example and then 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse number 7. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse number 7. So that we were examples to all that believe in Macedonia. So mark those that are doing the right thing and say that's what I want to emulate. That's what I want to be like. I remember we first started Ohana back in the 80s. We had a bunch of young Marines get saved. Well, we first got a a first sergeant in the Marine Corps get saved and and he was before he got saved, he was your typical poster Marine and sorry, Brother Seabird, but he was vulgar and and uh just very ungodly.

And he got saved his whole life turned around. And he was in charge of the Pearl Harbor barracks. And he'd go through the barracks and invite these young Mars to church. She never ordered him to go, but in the Marine Corps, an invitation by a first sergeant is an order, you know, and he brought probably 60 Marines to church during his time he was here. And out of the 60, probably 25 of them got saved. And and some of them are actually pastors today. And so just been amazing to see that process. And and uh you know, and and so I look back at that and and I see what God has done. And and here's the thing is is you want to have examples that you can follow.

And and he says, "Listen, mark the right ones." These young Marines when they came to church, they were very unchurched guys. They dress they come dressed in in in all kinds of things. They'd come, you know, they were not. But but they started changing. And I asked him, "Why are you changing?" And he says, "Because we looked at the church and the men we respected, the men that were the godly men, this is what they did, so we're following that." And they just figured if they're doing it, that's that's good enough for us. And they followed their example. And and and you want to have people like that in your life.

You want to look for somebody you can say, "If they're doing it and they're godly, then it's working for them, so I should be doing that as well." And by the way, the reverse is true, too. Are you an example to somebody else that they can follow? and and so Paul is saying that in in in in Thessalonians here. All right. So, that's kind of the study the the lesson on Psalms chapter 37. And so, we're going to skip over to Psalms chapter 50. Now, uh I wish I could do every one of the Psalms, but I think for time's sake, we're going to have to kind of pick and choose a little bit. By the way, if there's a psalm that you would like us to do as a study, I would be glad to hear that from you and we could uh maybe plug that one in as well.

Uh but we're going to do Psalms chapter 50. We'll kind of introduce it tonight before we finish up. And uh in Psalms chapter 50, as you remember the Psalms at the title, they've got it says, "God will judge." A psalm of ASAP. Now, that's not just my Bible outline. That's scripture says that. So, this is a psalm that says, "God will judge." And so David again is coming back to that same idea. God's going to judge and and I need to believe in that. So as you look at the verses number one through six talking about the judgment of God, it says verse one, the mighty God, even the Lord has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty God has shined. Our God shall come and shall not keep silence. A fire shall devour before him, and it will be very temptous around about him. He shall call to the heavens, from above, and to the earth, that he may judge the his people. Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a a co covenant with me by sacrifice, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness. For God has judged himself. Cila, now let me remind you, we talked about this earlier on, that word sila, it means to stop and think. When you read that in the Psalms, what you should do is just stop and stop and go back and read what you read again and think about it.

Because I don't know about you, but I tend to read things and then forget about it right away after I'm done reading it. And so he says, "Listen, I don't want you to miss what I just said. So stop, think about it before you go on." And um so in verse number one he says the mighty God even the Lord has spoken and called the earth and the rising of the sun onto the going down thereof. In this verse he uses three different terms for God. And uh I want you to look at real quickly Joshua 22:22. Joshua 22:22. The Lord God of gods. The Lord God of gods. he knoweth and in Israel he shall know if he be in rebellion or if in transgression against the Lord saved us not this day.

Um there are many different words for God. We did this in our study on theology, but I'd recommend if you've ever done it, do a study on the names of God in the Bible and go through and look at the different names. We tend as Christians to use just God, Father, and that's about it with the Lord. maybe say Lord as well, but there's so many other names for God. And so in this verse number one, he uses three different names. And of course, that's I kind of think kind of think about the trinity here as well. He talks about mighty. And the word mighty is the name L. And then secondly, he says God. And the word God there is Elohim.

And then the third word he uses Lord. Now remember when you see the word Lord in all caps in your Bible that means it's Jehovah. Okay? So mighty God and Lord is l Elohim and Jehovah. So he's using three different terms to to to say this is God. He's the L the mighty one. He's he is Elohim God. But that term could be used to for other gods as well. And so he goes on further said, "But he is Jehovah, the one and only um the I am." That's what Jehovah means. It means I am. I I'm a self-existent. I don't need anything else. I exist in of myself. And so he's using all three terms here. And so in verses 1-6, he's describing what great biblical event.

He's describing Christ's second coming. He's he's describing the judgment that's going to come at that day and and so it's a precursor of that and a description of that um and talking about that. And then so look at verse number three. It says our God shall come and shall not keep silence. So that means that God has been silent. So why do you think you ever you ever felt like well why is God silent here? Why why doesn't why isn't God kind of speaking up and showing himself strong and and why is that happening? Look at second Peter chapter 3 and:es 8 and 9. 2 Peter 3:es 8 and 9. 2 Peter 3 8:9. But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord is a thousand years and a thousand years is one day.

The Lord's not slack concerning his promises. Some men account slackness, but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that they should perish, but all should come to repentance. Sometimes silence is golden. Again, with my um with my kids, and now my grandkids are here, uh sometimes it's like I just when they do something wrong, I just kind of look at them and don't say anything. And and and and they haven't figured this out yet. That means you got an opportunity here to change your mind. you got an opportunity to do what's right and not do what's wrong. Uh but they don't always catch that, do they?

And when I finally speak up, it's going to be go to your room or you're in trouble. You know, it it's given them an opportunity. God's silence is not that he's not powerful. It it's kind of like what's going on with Iran right now. You know, I don't understand all what Trump's trying to do over there and everything and why he's been but he's been he been trying to say, "Listen, you got a chance to talk here. you got a chance to get this worked out without me blowing up your whole country. And what are they doing? And his they think his silence and not bombing them is is means it's okay for them to keep doing the stupid things they're doing.

And don't we do the same thing? Don't we do the same thing? And and so he says, "Listen, there's going to come God's going to say, I'm done with this and and doing that." Okay. And then um what should this warning cause us to do then? is he's saying, "Listen, I I'm silent, but there's going to come a judgment here." And what does that cause us to cause us to look again at Second Peter chapter 3, and we'll close with this. Second Peter chapter 3 and:es 1-4. 2 Peter chapter 3:es 1-4. The second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you and both which I stir up your pure minds by putting by the way of remembrance that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophecies

of the commandments of us by the apostles and the Lord Savior knowing this verse that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lust saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation skip down to verses 11- 15 seeing that all these things shall shall be dissolved. What manner persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening at the coming of the day of our God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

Nevertheless, we according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein deliverth righteousness, dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless, and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you. You know, God's longsuffering, he's just trying to give us an opportunity. We just keep doing like the Iranians, just keep just throwing it back in his face. And God says, "Listen, my silence, don't take my silence as it's okay because when I speak up, that's it. You're done." And so God is warning them there in that passage.