The Solution to the Mess that
the World ,
and Each of Us are In Today Part XIX
Psalm 48-53
October
12, 2025
I have fourteen (14) pages of
notes today but I do not claim to cover them all.
I have them on the website for
any needy souls, serious Bible students, the lost,
or any person made in the image of God
to peruse if you are so inclined.
There is enough for you to keep
busy for a while but today I want to emphasize
and re-emphasize things that are
important to salvation and to guidance in everyday
life in a time such as this.
“For the Lord is good, His mercy is
everlasting, and His truth endureth to all
generations.”
(Psalm 100:5)
“He shall send from heaven, and save me
from the reproach of him that would
swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth His mercy and His
truth.” (Psalm 57:3)
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth
thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies,
and thy right hand shall save me.”
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy
mercy O Lord endureth for
ever:
forsake not the work of thine own hands.” (Psalm 138:7-8)
“Now unto Him that is able to present
you faultless before the presence of His glory
with esceeding
joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and
majesty, dominion
and power, both now and for ever.” (Jude 1:24-25)
Emphasize
Psalm 69:13 - “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an
acceptable time.
O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy
salvation.”
Psalm
53:1-3
“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Corrupt are they and have done
abominable iniquit:
there is none that doeth good. God
looked down from heaven
upon the children of men, to see if there
were any that did understand, that did
seek God.”
18 “For the wrath of God is revealed (one of the four root words - where have you
been all your life? - the others
being manifest, knowledge, understanding)from
heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness;”
19 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest (another of the words)
in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the
firmament showeth His handiwork.
Day
unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night showeth knowledge. There
is no
speech nor language where their voice is not heard.” (Psalm
19:1-3)
Contrast
the two recent “nos) “no God” and “no
voice where His explanation is
not heard!”
The New Testament way and shortcut to what you and I are really looking for
is found in the first few verses of Hebrews !:1-3)
1 “God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past
unto the fathers by the prophets,”
2 “Hath in
these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made
the worlds;”
3 Who
being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His
person, and upholding all things by the word of
His power, when He
had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hand of the
Majesty on high:
20 “For
the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
21“Because
that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and
their foolish heart was
darkened.”
22 “Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools,”
23 “And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an
image
made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and
four-footed beasts,
and creeping things.”
24 “Wherefore
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts
of their own hearts, to dishonor their own
bodies between themselves:
25 “Who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served
the creature more than the Creator, who is
blessed for ever. Amen.”
26
“For
this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their
women did change the natural use into that which
is against nature:”
( I can guarantee you that abortion on demand is against nature [God said in
Jeremiah 19:5 - “...neither came it unto my mind.”] Not only is abortion
against nature, which humanists like to recognize as their authority, but
lesbianism is against nature - note v. 26)
27 “And
likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust one toward another; men with
men working that
which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves
that recompence of
their error which was meet.
28
”And even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to
do those things which
are not convenient;”
29 “Being
filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
debate, deceit,
malignity; whisperers,”
30 “Backbiters,
haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of
evil things, disobedient to parents,”
31
“Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without
natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful:” (I counted 24 things - more than a catch all)
32 “Who
knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same,
but have pleasure
in them that do
them.”
Contrast these 24 descriptions of the evil
that mankind can fall into with
the seven things God hates in Proverbs 6;
The Danger of Dissatisfaction With One’s
Lot in Life - Part VI
II Timothy 3:1-5
Ezekiel 16:18-63; Proverbs 5:15-23
July 7,
2024
At the end of last week’s
lesson I was dealing with the saturation point of iniquity
filling up one’s life - I was using comments by Charles
Spurgeon on Genesis
15:16, about God’s revelation
to Abram, before his name change.
“....the iniquity of the Amorites is not
yet full.”
Sexual immorality and sexual
deviancy are just two ways to fill up the
measure (of iniiquity allotted to
an individual ??????????????) Abuse of
alcohol
and drug useage are two other
common ways that mankind in our age are on the road to
eternal separation from God.
II Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in
the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers
of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are
good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers
of God;
3:5 Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away.
Add these nineteen (19) characteristics of the times with
the twenty-four (24)
from Romans 1 and seven
(7) things God hates from Proverbs 5:16-19)
you kinda get the
picture of the condition the world has been in, is now, and
shall be, until Jesus comes to bring in eternal
righteousness and may our prayer
be “Even
so, Come Lord Jesus! = Revelation 22:20.
In verses 2-3 of II Timothy
3, prior to and following the word “incontinent” are these
words descriptive of the last days:
“....unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection, trucebreakers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those who are good.” - These are other ways to fill
that cup of iniquity to the point of no return.
ἀκρατεῖς - akrateis - without
self-control- powerless, impotent
Do you remember the parable
of Jesus in Luke 13:6-9?
It was prefaced by:
5
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.
6
He spake also this
parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit
thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard,
Behold, these three
years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and
find none: cut it
down; why cumbereth it
the ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone
this year also, till
I
shall dig about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit,
well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it
down.
All these lots in
life, situations, and predicaments that we get ourselves in,
we either address or ignore.
In II Timothy
Incontinency is flanked by
all sorts of biblical terms that Americans and the rest
of the world should, though they be not Bible students,
yet understand, in 2024.
While I am at it, I want to
wander farther from the lesson title,
but hitting the bull’s eye of what we are talking about -
by addressing conditions
in the
or unfortunately, in our hearts.
Consider the Seven Things God
Hates from Proverbs 6:16-19:
As I have said on other
occasions, these seven things are characteristics
of American Culture in 2024.
16 These
six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an
abomination unto Him:
17 A proud look,
a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked
imaginations, feet that be swift in
running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh
lies, and he
that soweth discord
among brethren.
But wait, in true Biblical
fashion, characteristic of God Himself, the next four verses
are the remedy for
any of our situations in which we might hem ourselves, making
available for all, some timely and
sound advice:
Advice for Americans and
the People of the World Today
Proverbs 6:20-24
20
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not
the law
of thy mother:
21
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them
about thy neck.
22 When
thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall
keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.*
24
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs
of instruction are the way of life:
It is a very happy circumstance when the
commandment of our father and the law
of our mother are also the commandment of God
and the law of the Lord. (As I have
said the last two
weeks, now three weeks, the revelation of God’s will was intended
to be COORDINATE WITH THE SUPREME
SECULAR AUTHORITY!
Atheism
Contrasted with Godliness (Psalm 53:1-2)
I. ATHEISM. “No God.” This implies:
1. Denial of God’s existence
This is folly. The assertion
proves nothing.
Negatives are not arguments.
Besides, there may be a God, though you,
the denier, have not found Him. You have not yet explored the
universe.
2. Denial of God’s moral government of the world. “No God!” if so,
then
there is nothing but chance. There can be no law without a
lawgiver, no
order without a controlling mind. “No God!” then we are
free to do our
own pleasure. “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we
die.” (Isaiah
22:13; I Corinthians 15:32)
3. Denial of God’s grace in the redemption
of sinners by Jesus Christ.
“No God!” then the Bible is a fable, heaven and hell are dreams, the
benefits of the gospel are a delusion, faith in Christ and the
resurrection is a
mockery and a lie.
II. GODLINESS. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God;” but
the
wise man says that there is a God, and that “He is the Rewarder
of all
who diligently seek Him.” Godliness implies:
1. Faith in God as revealed in Christ Jesus. Here is the
satisfaction of the
soul.
2. Life ruled by the law of Christ, which is holy, just, and good. Here
is the
true ideal, and the Spirit,
by the
gospel, shows how it may be realized.
3. Prayer and holy endeavor to the end. We are not left to struggle alone,
but have the Word to guide us, the promises to cheer us, the
love of Christ
to inspire us, that we
may go from strength to strength, and that when
called hence we may enter upon the blessed and perfect life beyond
this
world. Thus
the godly witness for God. They testify
to His being, for in Him
they live; to His character, for their aim is to be holy as He
is holy; to His
will and government, for they strive to do justly AS HE DOES
JUSTLY and
to be merciful as He is merciful, who “maketh
His sun to rise on the evil and on
the good, and sendeth rain on the
just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)
All the good in themselves, in society, in the world, IS FROM GOD!
What has been is in agreement with what is now. The progress of all things
is towards a perfect end.
AND TO NOT SEE THAT END, TO BE NOT
INCLUDED - the tragedy of all tragedies - CY - 2025) The cross, which
overthrew paganism, and triumphed over the eagles of
win greater and yet greater victories. Yet a little while, and the great voices
of heaven shall cry, “The
kingdoms of this
world arc become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and
he shall
reign for
ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
I
ran across this: Job 21:7-20 Ponder -
this isn’t what you want at the end!
A
Pathetic Prayer (Psalm 55: 6-8)
“Oh that I had wings,” etc.! A very natural wish, pathetically and
beautifully expressed. The Prophet Jeremiah gave utterance to the same
wish, and for
similar reasons (Jeremiah 9:2). Hence some
have
conjectured he was the author of this psalm. The title, ascribing it
to David,
represents ancient Jewish tradition, which there is no adequate
ground for
rejecting. But the psalm contains nothing certainly to indicate at
what time
in
David’s history it was composed, or who was the treacherous friend
referred to. The fact is, the Book of Psalms is a treasury, not of
history
(thus I have on this website Charles H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David - a full
commentary on all 150 Psalms, to go along with these of the Pulpit Commentary,
CY -
2025), but of spiritual experience; a manual of prayer, praise,
meditation,
faith, for the
Church in all ages. (I don’t know how many
times in my life I have
had
great need to turn to the Psalms for personal help and guidance, where I found
solace in time of need - the book of Psalms are quoted more often
in the New Testament
than any other book - CY - 2025) Its
perennial meaning and value are rather raised than
lowered by the uncertainty besetting special occasions and dates
which keen critics
labor to drag to light.
I. THESE WORDS PICTURE FOR US A HEART WEARY OF
THE
WORLD. The writer longs passionately to be quit of it, out of
sight and
hearing, in restful solitude. He feels as our English poet, when
taking up
Jeremiah’s thought he wrote:
“Oh for a
lodge in some vast wilderness,
Some
boundless contiguity of shade,
Where
rumor of oppression and deceit,
Of unsuccessful
or successful war,
Might never reach me more!”
The Task by William Cowper (1785)
This world-weariness may be of different kinds —
from widely opposite
causes. There is the case of the man who has loved the world with
all his
heart, and is sick
and sated, and still hungry and unsatisfied.
He
has loved
pleasure, laid the
reins on the neck of his lusts; and his reward is a diseased
body, a worn-out heart, a blighted character, a guilty
conscience. Or
money; and while he has
been piling up what men call a fortune, his heart
has dried up,
friends have grown estranged, the power of enjoyment has
dwindled as the
material means of buying it grew. Or political power;
and
has learned how
thankless a task it is to serve people against their
prejudices, how futile is
popularity, party allegiance, how unstable earthly
greatness. Like many a monarch
and statesman, he is longing for freedom
and rest. Is ir not these kinds of
world-weariness the Holy Spirit depicts
here. Those
tired-out worldlings do not write psalms. They have sown
to
the flesh, and reaped
corruption. What David and
Jeremiah were so weary
of was the wickedness of the world (vs. 3, 9, 11, 19). This is the key to
the
tremendous denunciations of the guilt and fate of sinners, in other
psalms as well as here. Intense personal feeling is no doubt
implied; but it is
as rebels
against God, not as private foes, they are described. The king —
the
Lord’s anointed — ought to have punished them if he could; feeling his
inability, he appeals to God. And be it borne in mind, God did punish
them;
as (e.g.) Ahithophel and Absalom.
Ezekiel
9:1-6
Condense
A Pathetic Prayer (vs.
6-8)
“Oh that I had wings,” etc.! A very natural wish, pathetically and
beautifully expressed. The Prophet Jeremiah gave utterance to the same
wish, and for
similar reasons (Jeremiah 9:2). Hence some
have
conjectured he was the author of this psalm. The title, ascribing it
to David,
represents ancient Jewish tradition, which there is no adequate ground
for
rejecting. But the psalm contains nothing certainly to indicate at
what time
in
David’s history it was composed, or who was the treacherous friend
referred to. The fact is, the Book of Psalms is a treasury, not of
history
(thus I have on this website Charles H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David - a full
commentary on all 150 Psalms, to go along with these of the Pulpit Commentary,
CY -
2025), but of spiritual experience; a manual of prayer, praise,
meditation,
faith, for the
Church in all ages. (I don’t know how many
times in my life I have
had
great need to turn to the Psalms for personal help and guidance, where I found
solace in time of need - the book of Psalms are quoted more often
in the New Testament
than any other book - CY - 2025) Its
perennial meaning and value are rather raised than
lowered by the uncertainty besetting special occasions and dates
which keen critics
labor to drag to light.
I. THESE WORDS PICTURE FOR US A HEART WEARY OF
THE
WORLD. The writer longs passionately to be quit of it, out of
sight and
hearing, in restful solitude. He feels as our English poet, when
taking up
Jeremiah’s thought he wrote:
“Oh for a
lodge in some vast wilderness,
Some
boundless contiguity of shade,
Where rumor
of oppression and deceit,
Of
unsuccessful or successful war,
Might never reach me more!”
The Task by William Cowper (1785)
This world-weariness may be of different kinds —
from widely opposite
causes. There is the case of the man who has loved the world with
all his
heart, and is sick
and sated, and still hungry and unsatisfied.
He
has loved
pleasure, laid the
reins on the neck of his lusts; and his reward is a diseased
body, a worn-out heart, a blighted character, a guilty
conscience. Or
money; and while he
has been piling up what men call a fortune, his heart
has dried up,
friends have grown estranged, the power of enjoyment has
dwindled as the
material means of buying it grew. Or political power;
and
has learned how
thankless a task it is to serve people against their
prejudices, how futile is
popularity, party allegiance, how unstable earthly
greatness. Like many a monarch
and statesman, he is longing for freedom
and rest. Is ir not these kinds of
world-weariness the Holy Spirit depicts
here. Those
tired-out worldlings do not write psalms. They have sown
to
the flesh, and reaped
corruption. What David and
Jeremiah were so weary
of was the wickedness of the world (vs. 3, 9, 11, 19). This is the key to
the
tremendous denunciations of the guilt and fate of sinners, in other
psalms as well as here. Intense personal feeling is no doubt
implied; but it is
as rebels
against God, not as private foes, they are described. The king —
the
Lord’s anointed — ought to have punished them if he could; feeling his
inability, he appeals to God. And be it borne in mind, God did punish
them;
as (e.g.) Ahithophel and Absalom. It is often asked — How can we
reconcile these denunciations with our Lord’s prayer, “Father,
forgive
them”? Answer: Remember the ground on which this forgiveness was
possible: “They know not what they do.” They were to have room for
repentance. Remember, that only two or three days before, Jesus had
uttered, in the temple,
denunciations more severe than any in the Psalms;
and, lastly, that
these woes were fulfilled to the letter, after forty years, in
the destruction of
II. EVERY REAL CHRISTIAN MUST KNOW SOMETHING OF
THIS
HEART-SICKNESS,
PREVALENCE
OF SIN IN THE WORLD. The better he
knows the
world, the more he feels this. Once our Saviour
gave a momentary glimpse
of
the daily burden this was to him (Matthew 17:17). If so very imperfect a saint
as
the
Holy One of God have endured in the hourly contact with sin! He was the
“Friend
of sinners.” The Christian Church
of the present day — and society
outside the Church — shows more than in any former age of the likeness of
his compassion for
sinners. But are we not sorely lacking in
that righteous
indignation against wrong, and deep grief at the dishonor offered to
God’s Name,
which are no less part of “the mind that was in Christ Jesus”?
III. WE MUST NOT ALLOW THIS HEART-WEARINESS TO
SLIDE
INTO DESPAIR. It must not abate hope, slacken effort, hinder
prayer.
The temptation may be strong — partly from forgetfulness or
ignorance of
the
past. When a great poet allows himself to exclaim, “When was age so
crammed with meanness, madness, written, spoken lies?” the reply is
—
What former age was less so? Not the age of Isaiah, or of
Jeremiah, or of
Malachi. Not the age which cried, “Not this Man,
but Barabbas!” Nor the
ages of
the decline and fall of
others, more justly, “the dark ages.” Nor of the Tudors and
Stuarts. Nor
the
coldhearted, cruel eighteenth century. No!
It is an old story, “The
whole world lieth in wickedness.” (I Johbn 5:19) It is an ancient cry, “How
long, O Lord, how long?” We are “as they that watch for the morning.” But
courage!
“The night is far spent” (Romans 13:12). Armor is not for
flight, but
fight. “Like a dove!” Yes, David; if thou wert
a dove! But thou art a king
— God’s
servant,
(Are yoiu a man or a mouse? - CY - 2025) If this prayer is David’s, it is
pathetic
and
instructive to remember that it was granted, though not as he desired
(II Samuel 17:23). God can show us the unwisdom
of our prayers by granting
as
well as denying. For the present, our Saviour’s
prayer for His own is not that
they be taken out of
the world (John 17:15). But whatever is
right and true in this
prayer shall in due time be answered
(Revelation 21:3-4, 27).
Wearily
glean from this:
Prayer
(v. 16)
“As for me, I will call upon God!” In this verse — the crisis or turning-point of
the
whole psalm — you see the storm-tossed vessel making for the
harbor, and casting anchor in safe shelter. A sorely wounded
soul, vexed
and
out of heart with the tumult and strife of life, the wickedness of men,
longs for:
“A lodge
in some vast wilderness,
Some
boundless contiguity of shade;”
where, far from the sight
of violence and fraud, the din of business, politics,
or war, he might be alone with God. But he discerns that if
he cannot flee
from mankind, he can take
refuge in God. He appeals from an
unjust and
cruel world to eternal righteousness, infinite love, Divine
faithfulness. He
pours out his heart
to God, and lays hold on Him; and light and peace begin
to stream in (vs. 18, 22, ch. 62:8 and
closing words of psalm). The text suggests
some very important views of prayer.
I. ITS PERSONAL CHARACTER; as expressing individual need and
desire; the voluntary confidential converse of the heart with
God. Custom,
fashion, human sympathy, and opinion are all out of court. If in
the whole
world not another heart or voice were raised in prayer, the
believer would
yet
say, “As for me, I will call upon God.” There are other kinds of prayer:
the
united prayer of two or three, agreed touching what they shall ask; the
public prayer of the assembled Church. In private prayer, too, all is not
petition for one’s self or
others; there is confession, thanksgiving,
consecration, submission,
adoration. Worship may be wordless,
silent. But
the
most wonderful, instructive, encouraging examples of prayer recorded
in
the Bible show us some strong
earnest spirit face to face with God, in
direct petition; alone
with the Father of spirits, the Almighty Creator, even
though a multitude were looking on. Abraham; Jacob; Moses;
Joshua;
Elijah; Hezekiah; Paul. This is what makes this Book of Psalms so precious
a
manual for the Church and for each Christian; a storehouse of liturgies, a
magazine of prayers. This makes David’s life, in spite of his
faults and sins,
so
true and grand a type of real
godliness; the clear, full sense and
unhesitating utterance, of personal relationship to God; the reality,
blessedness, duty, glorious
privilege, of drawing nigh to God. Think
of it.
There is something more than sublime — appalling — in this
view of
prayer. That a child of dust, yesterday in the cradle, hanging on
God’s
absolute power over the
gulf of nothingness, whose voice can reach so
few, even of his
fellow-men, whose knowledge, thought, will, are bounded
in such strait
limits, should be
able at will to speak with the Ruler and
Author of the universe; to make his wish, weakness, misery,
or his boldest
hope and
loftiest purpose, known beyond the stars, above the thrones of
archangels, behind all the laws and causes and inmost springs of
nature —
to God
himself; and that he should have a right to expect an answer! Is not
this, I say, an amazing, sublime, appalling contemplation? How poor and
low
are all the heights of worldly dignity compared with the point to which
these words lift our thoughts, to which you or I may soar if we
make them
our
own! “As
for me, I will call upon God!”
II. THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD HEARS PRAYER; its sure warrant,
reasonable assurance, joyful encouragement. “And the Lord
shall save
me.” If this certainty were merely an inward persuasion, born of
strong
desire, it would be worthless. If based on any supposed claim of
merit or
special favoritism, it would be blind presumption. If on the
experience of
fact, that God does
answer prayer, it would rest on as sure
foundation as the discoveries
of science, and what we call “laws of
nature”
But the haunting uncertainty would paralyze faith — Will
God hear my
prayer? IT RESTS:
1. On God’s promises. If the Bible contains
any Divine promises, they are
promises to prayer.
2. On the mediation of the Lord Jesus. The Old Testament
believer took
his stand on the ground of God’s covenant; and securely,
because, though
the priesthood and sacrifices were but shadows, they were shadows of THE
GREAT REALITY - CHRIST. How much more
boldly may we draw near, to
whom the reality stands unveiled (Hebrews 4:16; Romans 8:34)!
3. On the promised help of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:26, 24.)
Let us
take up David’s purpose (v. 17), and hold fast David’s faith, “He
shall
hear my voice.”
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From a lesson of yesteryear that is applicable here - CY -
2025
The True and the False Way of Encountering
the Difficulties of Life
(vs. 1-8)
Sorrow, danger, and terror had come upon the psalmist with
the force of a
tempest. He thinks of two ways of escape:
Ø
casting himself upon
God and
Ø flight.
These suggests the
true and the false way of encountering the difficulties
of life.
I. TAKE THE FALSE FIRST. “Oh that I had wings,” etc.! (vs. 6-8).
We must conquer difficulties, not fly from them:
1. Because the post of difficulty is often the post of duty. And we find no
rest in flight, because we have sought to evade or neglect our
duty.
2. The post of
difficulty is the post of discipline. Difficulty is one
of the
Divine instruments of our training; gives health and
strength.
3. Solitude brings an exchange of difficulties, and does not free us from
the power of the world. It is better to fight the battle of life than for the
heart to prey upon itself apart from the fellowship of men and
women.
II. THE
LIFE. By
seeking the help of God. (vs. 1-2.)
1. God will help us to a greater faith. “This is the
victory that overcometh
the world, even your faith’ (I John 5:4) - faith in
Divine help, and faith in the
good and righteous cause.
2. God will inspire us with a truer courage. “In the world ye
shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John
16:33)
3. God will give to those who are faithful all needed
strength. Will fulfil
the promise, “As thy day’[or, ‘need’] is so
shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy
33:25)
4. Victory is easier to us than to the psalmist, through Christ. Faith in God
through faith in Christ will give every believer
the victory.
Facing Death
Ecclesiastes
9:1-10
August
22, 2021
I used to teach this in Health
Class at
EVERYONE
HAS PROBLEMS.
Adaptive Behavior is reacting to situations we face in live in healthful
ways.
Maladaptive Behavior is reacting to situations in our lives in
unhealthful ways.
Characteristics of people who use adaptive behaviors are:
o they have the ability to solve problems in healthful
ways
o flexibility
o they have ability to handle their emotions in
healthful ways
o they have short-term plans
o they have long-term plans
o they are able to develop and maintain close
relationships.
Characteristics of people who use maladaptive behavior are generally
opposite
of those who use adaptive behavior strategies:
o they try to solve their problems in unhealthy
ways.
o they are inflexible.
o they have not short-term plans.
o they have no long-term plans.
o they do not develop nor cultivate close
relationships.
Five problems associated with Maladaptive Behavior:
Ø Frustration
Ø Loneliness
Ø Depression
Ø Substance Abuse
Ø Suicide
The following is added
since I retired from teaching in 2000 - yea
much more recent because
of Covid and cryptocurrency
21st Century
Problems
Add to this the coin shortage - a clever way to get everyone to go to
plastic,
or as the man above says, “microchips
- cryptocurrency - no doubt
early
steps in One World Government, the
revealing of the “man of sin”
or “antichrist”
which is prophesied in the Bible.
A cryptocurrency, crypto-currency, or
crypto is a
binary data designed to work as
a medium
ledger existing
to secure transaction
verify the transfer of coin
“But evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,
and being deceived. But continue thou in the
things which thou hast learned
and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them;
And that from a child thou
hast known the holy scriptures, which
are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in
Christ Jesus. All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works. (II Timothy 3:13-17)