* Aristotle once said, "Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person at the right time, and for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not within everyone's power and that is not easy."

* These verses don’t say “God doesn’t get angry.”

* Anger is an emotion with a purpose.

* It’s purpose is to make things right, to see justice is done.

* Love involves compassion with standards.

* If the standards are not adhered to anger brings a person back into line.

* God has compassion for us but also standards.

* God brings deliverance “in the midst of” trials and tribulation.

* He doesn’t deliver you out of them, He delivers you in the midst of them.

* He doesn’t keep bad stuff from happening to us on the outside.

* When we trust in Him He keeps bad stuff from happening to us on the inside.

* We may lose our stuff but we won’t lose our peace.

* This is the promise to all those who love the Lord.

* God has given us all sorts of cool things to use while we’re here on this earth.

* Medicine for healing, weapons for defending, money for providing, etc.

* When we use God’s tools good stuff happens.

* People are healed through medicine, people are protected through weapons, and families are provided for through money.

* The problem is when we focus on the the tool we will naturally put our faith in the tool itself as opposed to the God Who made it.

* We need to always focus on God and let the results be what they may.

* Our faith will only grow this way, as we will see Him bringing the healing, defending, and providing through tools.

* Tools make for terrible gods.

* God told Paul to go to the Gentiles. If he conferred with others they may have tried to talk him out of it.

* We can apply this passage in two ways:

* 1) When God has clearly told you what to do don’t worry about what others say.

* 2) We should spend more time reading God’s Word than other people’s words about God.

* Paul knew men could distort what God was saying to him, so he cleared away the clutter to make time to listen to the Spirit.

* Paul knew the Scriptures but he began to read them through a new lens - the lens of the Spirit.

* So let the Bible be the foundation for all your reading.

* And when God reveals something to you go do it.

* Paul gives us the secret to good relationships - be more concerned about the person than what they represent.

* Don’t think about the deal, or their money, or anything you can get from them.

* Think about “them” - what value can you bring to them.

* This is why I believe the workplace is the greatest venue for discipleship.

* We learn to work for a reward.

* Our work defines the context for people to communicate and interact with each other.

* Two people talk within the context of work so they can both earn a reward.

* The financial reward is simply the carrot that gets you moving in their direction.

* As a believer, once you enter into the work context you should be led by the eternal reward.

* When you work like this, all of your customers and clients will know that you care more about “them” than what they represent.

* This will open the door for you to talk with them about God.

* EX: flying out to Keystone.

* Paul was talking about his visions and revelations so the people would listen to him, but then he mentioned a thorn in his flesh to keep him humble.

* Lots of popular books talk about strengths-based leadership.

* While their points are valid, the Bible brings a healthy balance.

* We should think more in terms of obedience to God than operating where we’re strong.

* Why?

* Because God can show Himself to be strong in our weakness!

* God often puts us in the area of our weakness to:

* 1) Refine us

* 2) Teach us to trust Him

* 3) Strengthen us

* 4) Show His strength through us

* Don’t run from your weakness - focus on God and do what He’s told you to do.

* EX: writing a software program, writing books.

* David explained the type of people he wanted to be around and those he didn’t.

* Those he didn’t want to hang around:

* 1) Faithless people (vs 3) - non-committal to God.

* 2) Perverted people (vs 4) - anyone who would distort the truth and talk foolish talk.

* 3) Gossipers (vs 5) - anyone who would speak ill of another behind their back.

* 4) Prideful people (vs 5) - people who think more highly of themselves than they ought.

* 5) Deceivers (vs 7) - those who always look for a way to get ahead at the expense of another.

* 6) Liars (vs 7) - anyone who’s word he couldn’t trust.

* Those he did want to hang around:

* 1) Faithful (vs 6) - a person who is committed to God and following His ways.

* 2) Blameless (vs 6) - not a sinless person, but a blameless person. They may sin but they repent and make it right and have no intention of repeating the sin.

* We have science today that proves the Bible to be true - the science of the BRAIN.

• Brain & Body connection - what you think affects your behavior & body.

• EX: losing your appetite when someone does something gross.

• Your brain has two spheres - the logical and emotional.

• We “feel” emotions in our body, but it takes place in the brain first.

• When something happens it first hits the emotional part of the brain (limbic system).

• Then, it hits your logic center of your brain where reason kicks in.

• Those who are able to properly control their emotions are Emotionally Intelligent.

• 70% of highly productive workers are high in EQ.

• Our core human need security - none of the science matters if we don't feel safe.

• vs 1 - this is the TRUTH about Security.

• Four Metaphors:

• Dwell - to live in, to make our permanent address.

• Shelter - covering, secret place, hiding place (share w/someone else).

• Rest - find comfort and safety.

• Shadow - used as a symbol for protection.

• ** If you stay in God’s presence you will have His protection. You will be safe and secure.

• EX: Like taking refuge in your house from a storm at night.

• EX: If I had to fight Rampage Jackson in the UFC, but Bones Jones comes to help.

• Satan will attack our security with fear, doubt, anxiety, worry, etc.

• How do we overcome? This is where the power of belief comes in (takes place in your brain).

• TWO FACETS:

• 1) DETERMINE IT (vs 2) - I WILL say, “God is my trust.” This is talking about a future event.

• This is your spirit telling your brain what to think

• The logical part of our brain then tells the emotional part what is true.

• Your body (behavior) then responds appropriately.

• vs 3-7 - Moses (or David) is giving the reader truth - the truth we should focus on.

• 2) DREAM IT (vs 8) - Visualize what is true.

• Your brain has a difficult time distinguishing between what you see with your physical eyes and what you see in your mind.

• MRI scans of people who saw a real sunset vs those who imagined one.

• The same centers in the brain reacted to both.

• RAS - Visualizing what you believe to be true activates the Reticular Activating System in our brain - your brain filter.

• We have 50,000 thoughts a day, most of which are subconscious.

• Your RAS separates the conscious part of your brain from the subconscious and determines the thoughts that get through and those that don't.

• It's separates the important from the unimportant.

• It’s how you can hear your name in a noisy room.

• It’s how you can buy a car then see it everywhere.

• Your RAS has notified your brain that your name and this car are significant to you.

• KEY - your RAS (filter) is determined by two things - 1) what you believe to be true and 2) what you focus on.

• When you believe something to be true and you focus on it then your actions will line up with that reality.

• This is why believing and focusing on the truth is so important.

• EX: Our business. (read quote below)

• If you focus hard on your goals and visualize them, your RAS will reveal the people, information and opportunities that help you achieve them.

• vs 9-16 shows the result of acting on our belief.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery Author of The Little Prince

* Proverbs 21:22 - “A wise man scales the wall of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.”

* A stronghold is a place fortified so as to protect it against attack.

* Wherever you place your trust becomes your stronghold.

* If you find security in money then you’ll seek to protect it and not give it.

* You’ll soon discover you are not fulfilled, content, or happy.

* It’s a faulty stronghold that will not satisfy.

* Paul tells us we are in the business of pulling down strongholds. How?

* vs 5-6 - apply this to others and ourselves.

* Others - we engage in conversations where we demolish the argument that’s keeping people holed-up in their stronghold.

* An argument is a reason given with the intent to persuade.

* Ourselves - we take our thoughts captive.

* We don’t let any thought that finds its security outside of Christ to rule us.

* A captive is alive but ruled by another.

* Giving is a matter of focus.

* If we focus on the value of what’s in our hand we’ll never let it go.

* If we focus on the value of what’s in God’s hand and what we will miss out on if we don’t let go in our hand, we’ll let it go.

* God won’t give us what we need until we let go of what we have.

* What do you need? Peace, joy, contentment, fulfillment, etc - these are all things money cannot buy.

* Ask yourself, how much would I give away to save my life? Everything!

* vs 6 - what you get is a matter of what you give.

* Not getting enough out of life? Then you haven’t given enough of yourself.

* vs 7 - when you focus on the true reward it will excite you.

* It’s ok to start moving in the direction of giving because you’re supposed to, but once you go that way focus on the reward.

* vs 8 - the abundance mindset is founded on a generous mindset.

* A poverty mindset thinks if one has more then others must have less.

* An abundance mindset thinks that we can all have more.

* A truly abundant person is one who has all he needs for every good work (not just money).