Insubordinate

Empty Talkers 

Deceivers 

In faith alone, in Christ alone 

The distinguishing factor is the gospel 

Poor people are often the most generous. 

False religion wants to tell you that if you are poor you will be unhappy and wealth is the only way to be happy. 

You will damn people to hell through false teaching. 

You have to stand on the gospel even if it is hard to tell. 

False religion is all about me me me. 

False teachers promise what they can’t deliver. 

You can praise God when it’s good and you can praise God when it’s bad because you have the hope of our eternity. 

The best is still ahead for every believer. 

Heaven is special because you can’t have those things now. 

Asaph declares this truth. 

He wants you to consider these things so that you won’t doubt the goodness of God. 

Do you believe God is good? 

Because of their prosperity, they live out more sins. 

They turn their arrogance toward God. 

It is hard when you are trying to follow the Lord and things are difficult, but when you look at the wicked, things are easy for them. 

There are times that feel like nothing goes right no matter how hard you try. 

Speak truthfully about your circumstances (vs. 15). 

Asaph is honest about his trials. 

He understands that those trials are happening because we live in a sin-cursed world. 

God will work it out in the end, that doesn’t mean that you have to call that “good.” 

Don’t lie about God in your circumstances. 

Submit to all of Scripture and not just your inability to put a circumstance together. 

Go to church (vs. 16-17). 

How are you going to make it through the valley if you are not surrounded by God’s people and see God’s perspective on your life? 

Being surrounded by God’s people has a way of guarding your soul against coming to the wrong conclusions. 

Consider God’s future plan, not just your present circumstances (vs. 18-20). 

When the wicked fall, it’s fast. 

Don’t accuse God on the basis of something that in the eternal view is just a vapor. 

Guard against bitterness to God and envy toward others (vs. 21-22). 

People watch how you live and how you live is how you lead even if you’re not in ministry. 

When you’re wound up about something, you will regret it eventually and you will lead others too. 

Rest in God’s presence (vs. 23-24). 

God is with you. 

God has not fallen asleep watching your life. 

Nothing is more comfortable than God’s presence. 

God’s presence is what gives you strength. 

No matter how hard your life is, God has not forgotten you. 

Make God your refuge (vs. 27-28). 

What are you making your refuge?

We hope in the Lord. We hope for good things. Don’t get that flipped around. 

Never make good things your refuge.

Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ “by the will of God.”

Timothy had the “gift of God” for service by the laying on of Paul’s hands. 

Jeremiah was called of God before his birth. 

It us urgent because we are accountable. 

If you don’t fulfill the call you will still have to give an account before God. 

It is urgent because the time is short. 

It is urgent because souls are at stake. 

It is a privilege to be called. 

God’s holiness calls for us to respond. 

Out unworthiness calls us to respond. 

God’s work in our own lives calls for us to respond. 

The honor of working for God calls for us to respond. 

The Problem of Forgiveness (vs. 15-20)

The Parable of Forgiveness (vs. 21-35) 

The Principles of Forgiveness 

Grace brings salvation (vs. 11). 

Grace teaches sanctification (vs. 12). 

Grace reveals the Savior (vs. 13-14). 

Be Hospitable 

Be Loving 

Be Soberminded

Be Just 

Be Holy 

Be Self-Controlled 

Be Committed to God’s Word 

Even those with faith in God struggle with doubt on occasion and say with the man in Mark 9, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”

Hebrews 11: There was faith in God to overcome their doubt. 

Doubt is a tool of Satan. 

Genesis 3: Satan cast doubt into Eve’s mind. 

We tend to put faith in what we experience with our senses 

James 1:5-8

If we doubt God’s ability to be able to fulfill His promises, what is the point in asking anyways? 

Hebrews 11:6

Before we can be secure in our faith, we must answer the question: Where have I placed my trust? 

We put our trust into a chair when we go to sit, but we don’t put our trust in the Almighty God who is the Creator of everything. 

Use what you are learning right now to apply it right now. 

The Word 

It can be encouraging to remember the faithfulness of God when we are struggling 

1 Kings: Elijah gave into fear and doubt because of the influences that he let into his life. 

During times of stress and exhaustion it is easy to forget everything that God has done for us. 

Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:22

We have to be students of the Word.

What does God want you to do in this situation? 

Romans 8:16

Help my unbelief. 

We all need to grow and pursue or faith in Christ. 

 Prayer

Pray without ceasing. 

This may be the most difficult discipline to practice in the life of the believer, but it is the most important one. 

Luke 11:9-13

Keep a prayer journal, so that you can see the hand of God sustaining and keeping you. 

God does not want people to doubt you, He wants them to be confident in His love. 

Prayer is for your benefit. Allow God to fill you. 

Only as you pursue your Creator will you be satisfied. 

If you find that you do not have any satisfaction in this life, that is because you are made for another life. 

Faith in God is the answer to doubt. 

The Holy Spirit 

The most powerful battle against doubt. 

Your life should be controlled by the Spirit of God in you. 

Until you have come to that point in your life, you are not seizing the opportunities that God has put in your life. 

Ephesians 5:15-17

God has a purpose for our tomorrows. 

We need to seize the day so we can prepare for tomorrow. 

Redeeming the time is an eternal pursuit that affects an eternal manifestation. 

Wisdom is the practical application of God’s Word. 

Do not be hearers of the Word but doers. 

Your Walk (vs. 15)

Keep your eyes wide open. 

Look around for the enemy. 

Satan wants to make you ineffective for God’s glory. 

Your Way (vs. 16)

What are you doing now with what God has given you to serve Him?

What does God want from you today? 

Your Wisdom (vs. 17) 

Understand what the will of the Lord is. 

It’s like Paul is saying, “Don’t be stupid, stupid!”

You were created for one purpose, to know God and make Him known. 

Proverbs 1:6

Identify the lies of the enemy. 

Lay aside the weights and the sins that easily beset us. 

Pursue holiness according to the wisdom of His Word.

Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego

Daniel in the lion’s den

David against Goliath 

Nehemiah rebuilding the wall 

He never had a heart for God 

As soon as Jahoida died, Joash changed 

He forgot what Jahoida did for him 

He read off some of the history of America and emphasized the origin of how we used to be a nation founded on God. 

We are only a national of liberty if we are centered on God. 

Do not have a heart like Joash. 

God is still on the throne.

Ezekiel 22: may it never be said that our name is among those that would never commit. 

We ask for His direction (vs. 1). 

Scripture 

Jeremiah 33:3

James 4

1 John 5

Isaiah 55

2 Chronicles 7

The only way to determine where God wants you is to seek His leading. 

We wait for His perfect timing (vs. 1). 

We can make plans but we have to depend on God’s perfect will. 

Do you make plans now? 

If we wait on the Lord, He will renew our strength. 

If you press ahead or His timing you might miss his direction. 

We desire His exact placement (vs. 1). 

We obey His specific instructions (vs. 2-3). 

God says “go” and David gets up and follows in obedience. 

It’s not about your plans and desires, it’s about God’s plans and desires. 

If God is leading, we have no right to wait, we need to go. 

We submit to His prescribed process (vs. 4). 

He takes what God has given Him in that moment. 

He patiently waits for God. 

Sometimes we get in the mistaken mindset of needing to “help” God move along with the process. 

We acknowledge His faithful servants (vs. 4-7).

We ignore the Lord’s authority (vs. 8-11). 

You never see Abner asking or seeking the Lord for anything. 

“What am I going to do about this?” “What is my solution to this situation?” 

The first response must always be asking what the Lord would have you to do, rather than just doing it yourself. 

We push our own agenda (vs. 8-9). 

Scripture 

1 Corinthians 10

Philippians 2

When we push our own agenda, we are not seeking the Lord’s plan in our life. 

We set our own parameters (vs. 9). 

Rather than aligning my own plan with His, I set my own parameters. 

Then I hope that He’ll accept mine and go along with my plan. 

We settle for second best (vs. 10-11). 

We create destructive conflicts (vs. 12-32). 

When you want what you want when you want it, the whole thing is bound to fall apart. 

These conflicts come when we ignore God’s leading in our lives. 

We seal our own fate (3:1). 

Ultimately our plans will fail, because we are limited. 

We cannot see God’s ultimate plan. 

We ask for His direction (vs. 1). 

We wait for His perfect timing (vs. 1). 

We desire His exact placement (vs. 1). 

We obey His specific instructions (vs. 2-3). 

We submit to His prescribed process (vs. 4). 

We acknowledge His faithful servants (vs. 4-7).

We ignore the Lord’s authority (vs. 8-11). 

We push our own agenda (vs. 8-9). 

We set our own parameters (vs. 9). 

We settle for second best (vs. 10-11). 

We create destructive conflicts (vs. 12-32). 

We seal our own fate (3:1).