And then so in Psalm 37 there begins at verse 1 it says fret not thyself because of evildoers
And if you look there in verse 7 that phrase is repeated where it says
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him
Fret not thyself because of him who prosper ith in his way because of the man who bringeth
Wicked devices to pass so this is just one example of many others in Scripture
We are told not to fret or another word
We might use for that is to worry or as the word that the Bible might use is to be careful
To be careful for nothing we're told not to fret and that's what I want to preach to us about this evening
Or this morning is that we are commanded here in the scripture to what fret not now this isn't I think
It is clearly a command that we are to fret not but it's really one of those
It's more also of a comfort really when you think about it because of the fact that you know
There are evil people in the world. There are difficult circumstances people do worry
So the Bible here is trying to reassure us by giving us the command that we are not to worry that we are to
Fret not and if you think about there's a lot of things in the world to fret about isn't there?
You know a lot of people fret a lot over different things and their fears aren't unfounded, you know
It's legitimate, you know
But the Bible here is assuring us and telling us that we should not fret and what are some of the things we shouldn't fret
Over well, one of the things we shouldn't fret over are evil people. Okay evil people
That's what he's saying here specifically fret not thyself
Because of evildoers right because of people that do evil if you would go over to
2nd Timothy chapter 2 2nd Timothy chapter number 2 the Bible says in Proverbs chapter 24
This phrase is repeated again in verse 19 fret not thyself because of evil men
neither be thou envious at the wicked for there shall be no reward to the evil man and the
Candle of the wicked shall be put out
So we have another place in Scripture twice here in Psalms 37 again in Proverbs 24
We are clearly told that we are not to fret ourselves because of what?
evildoers because of evil men because of those that prosper in the way because of those that bring wicked devices to pass and
Look people are fretting quite a bit these days about evil men, aren't they? I mean with their and is that
Unwarranted are there not evil men that live in our in our day
Of course, there are there always have been there always will be okay, you know
We could probably go around and name some names of some evil people, right?
Bill Gates, right an evil guy you see but he gave us windows. That's exactly why is evil. No, I'm just kidding
You know, everyone should get on Mac OS. I'm kidding
You know, there's another evil guy at the head of that company to that sodomite
But here, you know, he's evil why because he's all about, you know, buying up the agriculture, you know, the the farmland in this country
Injecting people promoting vaccines that are harmful to people
Population control and look there's a lot of names. We probably don't know right we could go around and name a lot of different names
You know, dr. Fauci, you know a guy who's you know, I haven't followed it that closely
But correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it wasn't like he was involved in the actual, you know
Release of that that of the kovat 19 virus like he was
Actively involved in giving it a gain of function is what they call it all those emails are like the guy's evil
Right and look there's all kinds evil people. I mean we could probably just start listing, you know
Several different, you know multitudes of people in the higher ranks of our government that are evil, right?
And we're surrounded by evil people just in general
Maybe people don't have a lot of influence or have a lot of political clout or have a lot of money
I mean, we're the whole world lieth and wickedness. There's evil people all around us
Okay, and there's always of course
You know the the god of this present world who is at work and trying to what bring wicked devices to pass
So you can see why people might you know?
Why this is in the scripture repeatedly to fret not because of the fact that there are things that people
Legitimately fret about
This isn't just some you know
I'm not gonna get out my red ball of yarn and start connecting the dots up here was about some elaborate conspiracy theory
But we all know there are you know, there are principalities and powers in high places
That are at work in this world. There are evil people
I mean if there aren't then what's the point of Psalms 37 fret not thyself because of evildoers who don't exist
No, they do exist they are out there and people can spend a lot of time fretting over evil people
Can't they and then look there's a lot of people out there that want you to fret over evil people, by the way
there's a lot of people out there that just want to you know fear monger and
just tell you all about all the wicked things that are going on in the world and get you all worked up and
Get you to just follow them
the Bible says to fret not because of evildoers to not worry about these people to not sit there and
Obsess over them in your life and feel like it's your you know
duty to go out there and resist them in some way and look I understand that we have to
You know, we have to do the work of God and that's how we resist we win souls. We preach the Bible
But look, you're not gonna turn the tide against the forces of darkness in this world. I'm sorry
You know, it's just not gonna happen
You're foolish if you think that you know, if you think that you're just gonna hunker down somewhere and you're just gonna
You know get the beans the bullets and the batteries and when when the Antichrist comes you're just gonna be that last bastion of
The Christian faith, you know holding out
You know, they're gonna look at everything you got and say you have a pea shooter, right?
They're they're gonna have you know
The heat seeking this and the thermal vision that and it's just like they're gonna be bombing you from miles and miles away via drone
You know, but people get caught up in this kind of thing
I'm just fretting and worrying about evil people or going on some
Political campaign or going out there and just fear-mongering and try to get people to just be all worked up
About the evil forces that are at work in this world where the Bible clearly commands
It tells us to fret not to not worry about these people because the Lord's the only one that can and will
Ultimately take vengeance on them. Okay
So what are some that you know, that's that's probably you know a pretty
General application there, but what are what are some other applications say brother Corbin?
You know, I'm not I'm not really worried about all the evil in the world
Like I understand what you're saying. Well, what about fretting about and just worrying over circumstances?
You know, that's probably something that we probably all deal with a little bit more
You know, hopefully we all mature and grow to the place where we understand. Look we understand there's all this conspiracy
There's a bunch of wicked people out there
Causing wicked things to come to pass
You know and we kind of grow past that and we understand that the Lord's gonna take care of that
But what about just like our day-to-day things we worry about our finances. We worry about you know, all the different things that people worry about
Their jobs they worry about housing markets. They worry about the economy they worry about you know, their health
They worry about so many different things
Don't they and those are things that are probably make a little bit more sense
You know humanly speaking to worry about because that has an immediate impact on your life
That's something you can really put your finger on and you know, that's actually something you can to some degree control to
But even then, you know, we shouldn't worry about these things. We shouldn't worry about them
I should have had you turn to you went to 2nd Timothy, but I I'll just read to you from Luke 10, right?
Where Jesus said and Jesus answer said Martha Martha thou are careful and troubled about many things
Well, she you know, and we know the story Martha, you know wasn't back there, you know online on info were somewhere like saying
Did you see what they did? You know, have you seen the Georgia Guidestones Jesus and you know worrying about all these things?
You know, she was worrying about what come she was covered about with what much serving
She was back there with the pots and pans trying to get everything ready
She just worried about you know, the just the cares of this life just the day-to-day things and Jesus said look you're troubled about many
Things you're careful and troubled about many things and he's rebuking her, you know lightly
He's saying look don't be troubled about these things
He said again in Matthew chapter 13 and the parable of the sower we all know this passage
he also that received seed among the thorns as he that here at the word and the
Care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the world word and he become with unfruitful, you know
A lot of times we got we're careful to not become unfruitful, you know through the deceitfulness of riches say well
I'm not desiring to be rich. I'm not you know, I'm not coveting. I'm not desiring great deals of money
You know, but so I'm good there. But yeah, but what about the cares of this world?
What about just all the little things that people worry about from day in and day out?
You know and and you say we'll get to what to do about it, you know
Because the truth is most people do worry about things. Most people do fret over things
It's just part of our human nature to do that, you know
And I'm not saying, you know, if you fret if you ever worry that you're just some kind of wicked sinner, okay?
I don't think that's what this command is in there the scripture for I think it's there to what encourage us
And to tell us look God's got everything under controls
So why don't you just go to him?
Why don't you just take cast all your care upon him and let him work all these things out
Let him worry about the the powers and principalities in high places. Let him worry about the evil men
Let you know that's we can do that
But what about letting him take care of all of our day-to-day needs all the things that we worry about
That are more practical in life, okay
And again, this is because you know people's fears are not unfounded. There are evil people they do exist
Okay
and the Bible says and
1st John 2 little children is the last time and as if you heard that
Antichrist shall come even now in John's day. There are many Antichrist whereby we know it is the last time John saying look even now
There are many Antichrists in his day thousands of year later. Do you think that's gotten better or worse over time?
It's clearly gotten worse. There's more false prophets with a bigger platform reaching more people
There's more Antichrist in the world and there's you know, and we're closer than he was to the actual Antichrist
You know being revealed you there in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 look verse 1
Let's know also that a last days perilous times shall come
You know, that's the days we're living in we're living in those last days and as we grow closer and closer to the return of
Christ things are gonna get worse and worse
It's not you know, I know that I'm trying to encourage you this morning, but you know, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it
That's what the Bible says perilous times shall come, you know
We could look down this list and you know
Does it is it lining up with what we see in the world for men shall be lovers of their own selves?
Do we see that in the world today?
Just everywhere, you know, just you know making all the kissy faces at the camera
And just let me get my filter just right, you know, people are just in love with themselves in social media
People are just you know, stepping out of people's heads to get ahead
Financially, I mean it's a selfish world that we live in people are just given over to what covetousness right for men
Shall be lovers of their own selves
Covetous
Boasters, you know, there's a lot of boasting they're proud, you know
There's a particular group that that we you know that we know of that, you know wave that that pride flag, don't they?
They're proud. They're boasters
Right, they're blasphemers
Disobedient to parents and thankful and holy without natural affection true spakers breakers false accusers
Incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good is the Bible believing Christian becoming more popular today or less less
It's Christian value our Christian values the ones that are being promoted or demoted. They're being demoted
Why because perilous times are coming and there are those that are what despisers of those that are good
You know never feel bad about what you believe never feel bad about what the Bible teaches. This is good
You know if people despise this then they despise that which is good if they despise our godly Christian life
They despise those that are good and look that's exactly what's going on in the world around us
Traders heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God
That's why that you know, the churches aren't being filled to the brim because people are out, you know on their bicycles that today
They're more concerned about going ride their bike somewhere and getting a bite to eat and having a pint
Than they are about getting in the house of God and learning the things of God. They're lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God
Having a form of godless but nine the power thereof from such turn away. So look if people are worrying about evil people
It's not unfounded
Right, but all I'm saying is they shouldn't because the Bible tells us to not fret over all these things
But again, he doesn't he doesn't tell us he doesn't say just turn a blind eye. Nothing's gonna happen
He's I mean he's saying look it's real. Look at this is what type of people are gonna come
This is how bad it's gonna get this is what people are gonna be like, but don't worry about it, but don't fret about it
We also have the the promise there in verse 12 where it says all they that live it quietly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution
You know, that's something that's guaranteed in the Christian life, but should you worry about that?
Is that something you should just stay up at night wondering of tossing to back and forth in your bed?
When's how is the persecution gonna come when is it gonna come?
Look, I know it's coming to us eventually as a church. It's gonna show up in some way shape or form
You know, we've had it. We've had our
Spells here and there but you know, we've got other friends
You know other churches like steadfast and first works and Verity and you know other churches
That we're like-minded with that have gone through some serious persecution
You know and and I'm saying that because look eventually it's gonna come around to where it's our turn
You know and I kind of preached about this a few weeks ago regarding false brethren that
You know, eventually we are gonna get on the devil's radar enough. You know, we're getting this new suite
We're gonna reach more people. We're gonna grow
I'm just convinced of that because that's the promise of God that he will build his church
I don't think it's a coincidence that you know, we got that building
You know, it's it's it's because God has intense behind it. I believe that but I also know that
As we grow and we get on the devil's radar persecutions are going to come
I mean it happened to all you know, all the other a lot of other churches that we could turn to in the New Testament
But what should I so does that mean we should just sit around say well, you know what? Maybe let's just not grow then
Let's just close the doors and stop inviting people to church
we'll just go out and get them saved and not tell them where we're at not tell them where we're from and
Just make sure it's because we don't want to get on the devil's radar cuz oh we wouldn't want to be persecuted
That's fretting. You know, that's a that's a worrying. That's the wrong kind of attitude to have we don't want to fret
We want to say hey bring the persecutions bring the blessings, too
And we'll just trust the Lord to to see us through those things as they come
But again people have legitimate fears, don't they they are they're they're legitimate in the fact that they do exist
You know, these aren't these aren't you know?
Half-baked conspiracy theories these these are things that are going to happen things are going to get worse and worse
She glad he came to church this morning
Right. That's what it says in verse 13, but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse
Deceiving being deceived he didn't say things are getting a better. He said they're gonna get worse now
We know ultimately things are gonna be good and they're gonna be the best they've ever been
When Christ returns and sets up his kingdom, right and then it's it's it's over but until that time, you know
The devil knows he has a short time to work
He's going to rage and he's going to fight and he's going to you know
Send more and more I into Christ out of the world. It's things are going to get worse and worse
I mean just look at our country
Look at the just the the moral nosedive this country is in I mean they're pulling some serious G's
Right and people think that that's like, you know when that when the plane goes into a nosedive
I'm flying Saturday. I don't know why I'm using this illustration, you know, plug your ears Linda. She's going with me, but
It goes into a nosedive and it's just like
Pull up pull up, you know
Like we're way beyond that like the both pilots are like the G's that they just passed out, you know
The airbags have dropped
You know, it's just a complete nosedive tailspin and it's just a matter of time till it's you know impact
That's where we're at as a country, you know, sorry to break it to you
You say how do you know that because all the innocent blood because of all the abominations
That all the things that we're promoting not just here at home, but also abroad, you know important
You know promoting sodomy and filth and everything else that America does, you know
We are that Babylon that's going to be judged and that's why the Bible is telling us
Look evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse and I wouldn't be doing you a favor and just telling you just say don't
Worry about anything
Everything is going to be fine. What I'm telling you is that everything is not going to be fine
But that you still shouldn't worry about it
Because that's what the Bible says
It says fret not because of evil men and seducers who are going to wax worse and worse
Then perilous times are going to come but we should still not
Fret over these things and look there is no shortage of things for people to fret over
Aren't there? I mean there's people they can fret over all manner of things
They can fret about their finances, their situations, their children, their relationships, their marriage
Just it just goes on and on the world and look the world will help you fret won't they?
I mean go home and turn on pick your whatever brand of
News you like go watch the CNN or the Fox News or PBS
Whatever just go ahead. They'll help you fret and worry over things
Won't they? I mean they'll just have that if and if the what the talking head there is just repeating
Whatever message of worry and fret they're just trying to there's also that usually had that little ticker that runs by
And it's just telling you all the other terrible things, you know ten thousand dead here earthquake there
You know tsunami here just like all the it's just like oh I can fret about that and that and that and that and that
Look, they'll just give you a list of things literally to just here worry about all this
Things that haven't even affected your life or won't affect your life
Look we read about some tragedy somewhere. We're heartbroken, but it's you know
Should we sit there and worry about whether that's gonna happen to us these things that are just completely beyond our control
You know the Bible says to fret not over evil men over circumstances over things that are beyond our control
You know, we're not to fret why because we're called to continue on in the work of God fear has a paralyzing effect on people
I mean fear causes people to get out of the Christian life
They get in a church like this where the Bible is being preached
But we're taking a stand for the Word of God where persecution is going to come and they say well
You know, I'm kind of worried about that
I think I'll just go to a church with something like that is less likely to happen
Where you're with, you know, you're you're gonna get protested, you know, they might look up my name
They might they might see me walking in there and you know
They might call my job and who knows look things like that happen. You know, I'm just forewarning you and
And you know you could sit there and worry about that and be paralyzed with fear and just get out of the Christian life
you know and that's kind of a
You know that that's you know, it's something that's a little that example is kind of maybe a little bit more
You know
Less likely to happen
But how about if you actually start living for God and your family turns on you the people, you know start to say
Well, you're weird now
And say you'd believe what oh you don't do what you know
They think it's strange that you run out to the same excessive riot, right?
And and they make you a gazing stock even in your own family that type of thing happens all the time
And look you won't be the first one
You won't be the last one and if that paralyzes with you with fear and you fret and you worry about that and say you know
What I just want to go along and get along and get out of the Christian life
Yeah, you'll still be saved. But you know what you're not going to continue
You're not going to press on toward the mark the high calling of the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus
You're not going to attain that and that's what we're called to do
I mean Paul here at second Timothy just you know, he's trying to encourage Timothy to what you know
Continue on in the faith to be to pick up the mantle to ordain elders and to you know
To preach the Word of God and then he just he just like oh and by the way, you know
Perilous times are gonna come people are gonna get worse and worse. It's just it's it's not exactly the most encouraging thing is it?
But it's reality at least he's not sitting there just trying to tickle his ear and say oh everything's me
Okay, you know he gives he's trying to encourage him to do what well verse 14
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned it has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them
He's given in this whole list of things of all these bad things that are happening things that Timothy could just go
Oh, I don't know about this Paul. I mean I started following you
I know back in Acts, but I didn't realize it's gonna be this bad
Maybe let me think here if I want really want to do this and that was not Timothy's attitude
But Paul after telling him all that says continue
Despite all these things why because there's you don't need to worry about these things. Don't worry about it
continue on and the things which thou hast learned the scriptures the preaching the
Exhortation the doctrine that he's been taught he wants him to continue on in
Spite of these things and look if he if Timothy got
Became afraid and was scared and didn't want to deal with the persecution
He would not continue if he decided to fret over all these things and worry
He would not continue but the command is to continue in the face of these things to keep living for the Lord to keep
You know moving forward the things that we have learned and been assured of
And here's the thing, you know, what what are those things that we that we have learned?
What are those things that we have been assured of it's the Word of God
It's it's the it's the it's the the exhortation that he received from the Word of God
It's the doctrine that he learned
From Paul's preaching through the Bible, you know through the the scriptures that are able to make thee wise
and it was he was told of him that he knew that the scriptures from a child and Paul saying continue in these things and
Don't let these things
Stop you from serving God don't fret
And he's reminding him again, it's the things that you've been assured of, you know
There's things if you're gonna continue you have to rest on the things you have been assured of in the Word of God
If you're not gonna fret and worry about these things you have to go to the Word of God
That's the only assurance you have in this world. I
Mean you could go out to the world to look at for assurance that everything's gonna be okay and they you know
They'll lie to you
I mean you can go get psycho analyzed and maybe they'll hook up some electrodes and you know
Give you a big couple bottles of prescriptions
They just take these and you won't worry so much and you can just go through life, you know brain-dead or something
But that's not the insurance that we have as Christians, you know, we have an assurance in the Word of God
We have the comfort of the scriptures
That's you know, that was Psalm 37. We're gonna go back there, you know, keep something there
If you if you were to turn away, we're gonna end up back there go over to Psalm 73 right now
That's that is our assurance, you know what that tells me
No scripture. No assurance
No Bible
No assurance. No scripture. No comfort. I mean sure you can go out in the world and you know
Get therapy or whatever and maybe they can you know, just dope you up enough to where you don't worry about anything at all ever
Or maybe we can continue on to the things that we have learned
We continue on the scriptures and look what the Bible says why we shouldn't worry
Why should we not worry because of the comfort of the scriptures?
Which tells me if you don't have the Bible if you're not in your Bible if you're not
Hearing hearing the preaching of the Word of God if you're not reading the Bible for yourself
If you're not memorizing Scripture, if you're not singing the hymns the spiritual songs, you know, no wonder you're fretting about everything
because you've taken the the sole source of the assurance for the Christian life and just set it on the shelf and
So where's my comfort it's on the shelf
It's right here, but you got to be one that crack it open and read it
And find these passages and these assurances and memorize these things and write these things on the table of your heart
You say well, I don't know if that's any help. Well, you know, then there might be a lack of faith there
You know, I read the Bible and I just say that's some words on a page
Look if we really believe the Bible these things should assure us and give us comfort which you know
Leads me to this no scripture. No assurance
You know, there's no scripture no assurance and then there's no the scripture and you'll know assurance
You know Romans 15 tells us what's whatsoever things are written a fourth time are written for our learning that we through patience and the
Comfort of scriptures might have hope just feel like that's hopeless. I worry about everything
I fret over all these things the evil workers in this world. I fret about my circumstances. I don't feel like life's just hopeless
well, you know what you need to patiently get in the Bible and read it and pray and
Let the comfort of the scriptures give you hope because that's where the hope for the Christian is found
And there's so many people out there today that just want to get us all worked up
About all the evil things that are going on in the world
There's so many people that just want to take the comfort from us and have us just bite our nails and stay up late and worry
About things that are beyond our control
That's not the Christian life that God wants you to live. He wants you to live a life of what peace
You know, he wants to have you joy comfort he wants these things in your life, but how do you get them?
You get them through the scriptures. That's where they're at
Get them through prayer. The Bible says in Proverbs 18
The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe
I love that verse the name of the Lord is a strong tower
I mean we get with God we get in the Bible. We we rest that we walk in the Spirit
It's like climbing up a strong tower and think about that that illustration. He's using
Far, you know
You're far above the troubles of the world far above all the things that men are toiling and worrying and fighting over
Way down on the earth. We're in that strong tower exalted lifted up
When we walk in the Spirit when we read the scriptures when we have the comfort of the Holy Ghost
We run into it and we're what we're safe
Doesn't mean we're never gonna experience hardship doesn't mean we're never gonna be hurt
But ultimately we're always know that at the end we win, you know, I've read the end of the book folks
I know how it turns out we win
Proverbs 73 if you're if you're still there, I
Don't know where I had you turn. I'm losing my place but go to Proverbs Psalm 73. I'm sorry Psalm 73
You know, these are great
Here's a great if you're ever worrying if you're ever fretting over things if you're if you find yourself there just remember these two passages
Psalms 37 Psalm 73
It's great. Just turn those numbers around, you know, Psalm 73 kind of
Diagnoses the situation it kind of shows us why people end up worrying and fretting over things that they shouldn't
He says in verse 1 truly God is good to eat Israel even to them
They're such a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well my slit. I
Mean he's worrying about you know, getting out of the Christian life
He's slipping. He's sliding. He's he's losing his footing in this world
Why right? Why ASAP? Why did why are you so upset here?
Verse 3 for I was envious at the foolish and isn't that what we read this morning in Psalm 37 to fret not thyself because of
evildoers and in Psalm 24 and to not be envious of the wicked I
Mean some people maybe it's not so much of worrying. They just envy the foolish. They envy the wicked
And they just say oh I wish I could have their life I wish you're gonna enjoy that sin
I wish I didn't have this conscience. I wish I didn't have this Holy Ghost convicting me of sin
Well, you know that's a foolish way to live that these you know, and that's what he's saying I was envious at who the foolish
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked right for there are no bands in their death their strength is firm
You know, I hear it all the time. We've got soul winning
I hear people say this type of thing all the time multiple people
I just can't understand how people wouldn't want to hear the gospel. I just can't understand why somebody would choose a false religion
I just can't understand why somebody wouldn't want to have me preach the gospel to them
because they're foolish and
They're you know, some people there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm, you know
There's a lot of people in this world. They just don't even think about the name of their death
They don't think about eternity. They don't think about where their soul is gonna go when they die
it's the farthest thing from their mind and
They just you know, they just preoccupy themselves with all the other things in this life and all the other things in this world
Have you ever thought about that you go? Hey, can I show you from the Bible how you go to 100% sure
You're gonna go to heaven. No, thanks. We're all right
And we're thinking you're not all right. You're in you're in peril. You're you're doomed
But to them they're just like we're fine. Anyway in their minds. They really feel that way. They're not lying
They really think we're fine. There's nothing to worry about. You know, we'll do we're all stardust
I'm sure they have some explanation
You know
I'm just gonna go into the earth and I'm gonna come back out a flower and then deer is gonna come eat me and you
Know I'll just be part of the universe and go back to stardust from whence I came
And it's this nice little poetic mystical thing. That's not reality
It's not what the Bible actually teaches but people tell themselves things like that and they just go right about their merry way
There's no bands in their death
But their strength is firm
They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men
They're not worried about righteous living. They're not worried about resisting sin or trying to get over some bad habit in their life
They're not plagued. They're not resisting the flesh and the devil there. They go right along with it. They go with the flow
They're not swimming upstream
They're not playing and this is who this guy's ending
This is who ASAP and this passage is envying foolish people who don't think about death
Foolish people who just go with the program who just go with the flow
Verse 16 when I thought to know this it was too painful for me. I want you to notice the verse 17
Until I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I therein
What was what was the you know, we see what was bothering ASAP here, right? He was envious at the foolish
Well, how did he resolve this issue? How do you stop being envious? How do you stop worrying? How do you stop fretting?
When he when he went into the sanctuary of God when he ran into that strong tower, which is the name of the Lord
when he went to the comfort of the scriptures and
Then he understood what they're in, you know, the Bible puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?
when we look at the wicked when we look at the foolish when we look at those that prosper in the world and
We're tempted to envy them
Or to want to be like them in some way. You know what you need to do consider their end
Say well, I don't know if I want to live my life the way the Bible tells me to I
Mean one man one woman for life. I
Don't know if I want to just you know, stay at home and have kids and raise them for God
I mean look at the world gets to do
Vacations and nice things and look I'm not saying if you have vacations or nice things, you know, you're wicked
But look when you you make sacrifices to raise a family
People that are raising a lot of kids, you know one income they make sacrifices to do that
They're not running off here and running off there. And if you have the means to do that great god bless you
Go ahead and enjoy that
You know a lot of people they go. Hmm. They weigh that out
They say I don't know if I want to live for God or live for the world
And they say it seems like the world's a lot having a lot more fun
Yeah, you know what? They might look like they're having a lot of fun. And you know what they probably are having fun
You know what? They don't have joy
peace
They don't have the fruits of the spirit. They don't have love joy. Peace long-suffering gentleness. Goodness faith meekness temperance
They don't have those things
It's absent in their life
And all they do is just keep chasing the next thrill the next fun thing
The next thing that's gonna help them to not worry and fret about what's really going on in the world
And
If you come in the sanctuary of God, you know what you'll do you'll understand their end and you'll say you know what?
It looks like they're having a good time. It looks like they're fun, but I see where they're headed now
Oh, that's what's going on here
Oh now I'm reading and I'm saying how it's really gonna turn out the Bible says the way of the transgressor is hard
That's not the picture. They're painting on Instagram and Facebook and everywhere else
But that's the picture the Bible paints that it's hard to go out and resist God and fight God
especially if you're a Christian and you have the Holy Spirit you're grieving him and God says well, it's time to chase in you and
Just you want to go make life ten times harder than it needs to be
You know what you need to do if you find yourself envying the wicked and fretting about evil men consider their end
You know, what's gonna help you consider their end get in the sanctuary of God
Getting church
Get in your Bible
Read it pray walk in the spirit and then you begin to understand their end
You know what? You probably self find yourself not envying the wicked. You'll probably find yourself not fretting so much
And I want to close just going very quickly back through Psalms 37
Because he lays this out. He gives us this this fret and this formula to not fret a formula to not fret
Okay
So we have the we have here in Psalms 37 both instructions and a promise. Okay instructions and a promise
What are the instructions fret not very simple fret not?
You know be careful for nothing. Okay, but make your supplications known unto God
Okay, cast all your care upon upon him
That's the instructions fret not thyself because of evildoers neither be thou envious against the wicked those the instructions
But what's the promise?
You know God's not gonna say fret not now here you figure out how to do it
Here you go out there in a world that's full of evil men and
Seducers you go out there and live a life that's full of worry and care and just make sure you don't do it
And I you know leave you to your own device you figure that out now
You know God gives us a formula here and how to not do that
You know, let me go ahead and and just break it to you. It requires some spirituality
It requires some faith. Okay
The how okay the promise is this that you know
God what verse 2 they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb
You know, God's gonna take care of all this. They're not getting away with it
Evil men and seducers these wicked people the they're the evildoers. They will be what cut down like the grass
You know
That's why it's so stupid and foolish for us to go out there and just try to fight them
Because we're not gonna cut them down like grass
And it's such a great illustration
You know, my backyard got out of hand this, you know as much as a yard get out of hand in Arizona, I guess
The grass got this tall this tall
Can you believe it right because the because the deluge we had right? We're just just encumbered with rain
Well, look it was at some point
I had to go get you know rent the the gap the gas weed whacker and go back there and cut down grass and
I'm telling you it wasn't that hard. It was easy just
The kids are all watching I'm throwing rocks everywhere and cutting down grass. It's great
Took me like maybe an hour to get it all down
It was easy. But what if I had gone out there? He said I don't need that. I don't need the weed whacker
I'm just gonna go out there and just pull every single blade out by hand and get every little root
You know, my hands would just been worn down to the nubs
Bleeding and broken and I probably wouldn't gotten that far. I probably end up just giving up
You know, it's easy. It's easier. Just let the weed whacker take care of it, right?
Look it's it's it's foolish for us to think that we're gonna go out there and just slay the wicked
Now we're gonna go out there and just right every wrong in the world. We're gonna put Fauci in his place
We're gonna take Bill Gates and put him in his place. We're gonna you know, just go get all these corrupt politicians out and
Just wait for the next batch to move right back in
You know who is gonna just cut him down like grass though God
It's gonna be easy for him. He's just
He's done. What's next?
That's the illustration. He's gonna come down like grass
It's a great illustration. God just it's like for him. It's like mowing his lawn on a Saturday afternoon
You know, he's you know might even enjoy it a little bit
As you get older you begin to enjoy those things. Okay guys, trust me younger guys
I just think it's all labor eventually. You'll like getting your white sneakers green and
You know, you have to have grass to cut and I don't know
But to God he's just like hey, it's easy, you know, just fill up the tank starter up few minutes done
They're gonna wither as the green herb
That's the promise. So let me let how do we not fret?
Well, you have to believe this that God's got under control that God's gonna take care of it
That's what it says in verse 3 trust in the Lord trust
You know it begins with faith. You have to believe that this is gonna happen. And here's it's so
Hard to understand sometimes as people have no problem believing that they're evil men in the world. I
Mean, it's pretty obvious, you know, if you just look around
Say yeah, obviously there's evil men
You know
What takes a little bit more faith though is trusting that God's gonna do something about it
Because it doesn't seem like the evil is just getting away with it getting away then getting away with it
Yeah, you know what? Some of them are gonna live long if there's gonna be no bands in their death
They're gonna they're not can go read Psalm 73
They're not gonna be plagued like other men their children are gonna flourish and they're gonna go to their grave in peace
Right before they go straight to hell
You know
It's gonna seem like that and people are gonna live wicked lives and do wicked things and it's like the evil are gonna
People are gonna flourish but you have to believe by faith that God is going to hold them accountable
Trust in the Lord it begins with faith. Look at verse 3 trust the Lord and do good
So that shall dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed. It's not this idle waiting
I'm just waiting for God to set everything right
I'm just gonna go and hide in my basement, you know and just you know
Just hang out there in the dark and just wait for this all to pass and blow over like some kind of storm
That's not how we're supposed to wait it out
It's a it's trust in the Lord and do good. We have to go out there and do good. It's not this idle waiting
Look at verse 4 delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart
You know if you really believe this if you really believed and trusted in the Lord
It would be a delight to you. It would you would delight yourself in the Lord
You'd want to live for God in spite of the tribulation that's going to come for doing so
You say you know what? I know God's gonna take care of it
I know in the end all things are gonna work together for good to them that I love God that are called according his purposes
And I'm just gonna go live for him
Anyway, I'm gonna delight myself in the things the Lord and let him take care of the rest
I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna do good says in verse 5 commit thy way unto the Lord
You have to trust you have to do good. You have to delight in the Lord. You have to commit your way unto the Lord
Be in it for the long haul
Don't just wait, you know, not just when you feel like it
well
I'm gonna live for God when it's easy when everything's going good when everything's going great at church and my life's all
I got all my ducks in a row and everything's going great, you know
Lord but as soon as persecution comes which it's going to come
You know, I'm gonna just bow out and get out of it. No, you need to commit your way into the Lord
Look, this is how you get the peace of God
This is how you fret not because God sees this God's he got you know, God's watching the wicked
But he's watching us too and how we react and if he sees us down here trusting in him doing good
Delighting ourselves in him delighting ourselves in the Word of God
Delighting ourselves and the things of God and committing our way unto him and saying no matter what happens
I'm gonna live for God. You know what? He will bless us. He will give us peace. He will give us joy. He will protect us
He will give us, you know rest in this world. Look at verse 7 rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him
You know, we need to just rest in the Lord and not fret about these things and
Look it starts with faith it starts by trusting it starts by delighting committing and then you get to the place where you can just
rest
You know, it's like that hammock, you know, you could you got to do the work to put it up, right?
You got to go buy it and find a good spot for it
Put it up and then you have to trust your handiwork at some point, right?
I actually sit down you ever do the first time you get in that hammock kind of like
You know, I thought it was supposed to be relaxing right then you got to put all your weight in it just rest, right?
You know, we got a you know, we got to do some work too when it comes to getting to rest in the Lord
It's not like I'm saved now. So God I'm just gonna wait for the peace of God here. I'm just resting Lord
No, it's an active thing. It's faith. It's commitment
It's the lighting and the things of God and then the peace comes then
The resting comes and then we can do what wait patiently for him
And we could just watch the world go to hell in a handbasket and just say see ya
Because we know the Lord is coming by faith we're resting
You know and then and then verse 8 and I'll end here cease from anger and forsake wrath
Look when you're finally resting in the Lord when you've committed your way when you're delighting in the things of God
You're trusting in him and you're just patiently waiting for him
You can cease from anger and not feel like I have to go right every wrong. I'm gonna get to the bottom of COVID
And expose the conspiracy
No, I'm just going to rest in Lord wait patiently for him and I'm a cease from anger
I'm gonna forsake wrath and I'm not gonna fret myself in any wise to do evil
I don't need to take things into my own hands because ultimately all things are in God's hands
You know and I'm just gonna rest and wait for him and it's not like God isn't upset you say but I'm really upset about
What's going on in the world? You know what God's angrier than all of us put together
I'm just upset about the abortion me too, but you know who's angrier than both of us God and
Just because he hasn't begun to work
Just because he hasn't begun to pour out his wrath and indignation this world doesn't mean he isn't going to
but we have to believe that by faith until that happens and
You know what when we believe by faith then we can rest and just understand God's gonna take care of all it's all gonna work
Everyone's gonna get what they got coming eventually all these wicked people God's gonna put them all right in their place
So I don't have to get angry now. Look am I gonna have flare-ups from now from time to time
Yeah, you know when I have to go again, it's like they're always in food service. I don't know what it is
Actually, I figured it out
You know, I'm going through salad and go and just some lispy faggots handing me my food again
And I'm just like I hope you're just effeminate, but it's like it's you know, you're really
You're about to remove all doubt here the way your mannerisms and everything
And then I thought about I'm like, you know what it's because you know, no offense to anyone. It's in food service
I don't know anybody is I spent a lot of time in food service. Okay, it's not exactly the most intellectual work
I said why are they always in food service and that dawned on me because it's it's not that hard
I mean, I know it's physically demanding. It's stressful
But it's not exactly rocket science
To take somebody's order and go grab the food and bring it back to the table and say do you want more water?
You want more coffee? Can I fill that up for it? Right?
Because they're brute beasts. I know I'm going off in a rant right? I'm getting angry and being wrathful
I'm good. I'm having my flare-up right now. Okay
You know what? I'm not gonna leave here and just keep stewing about that fag at salad and go or wherever
I mean, yeah when I see him they vex my soul that make me mad, but then I just say but you know what?
He's going to hell. I
Don't have to go out of my way to make his life any more miserable than he is. I
Don't have to worry about whether or not God is gonna judge him and send him help because he is he's a reprobate
You know, I can just cease from anger. I can forsake wrath and not fret in any wise to do evil
So that's the formula to fret not, you know, look there's a people fret and they're it's not unfounded
You know
it's part of our nature to worry about things and there's things that are beyond our control and and if we want to live a
life where we're not just
Biting our nails and worrying about every little thing
You know what?
We need to get we need to run into the that a high tower that strong tower
Which is the name of the Lord we need to go into the sanctuary of God
We need to put this formula into practice in our lives to have the faith to trust the Lord to do good and
to delight ourselves in him commit our way unto him and just rest and wait patiently for him because we know ultimately he is
Going to take care of it. Let's go ahead and pray