8.18.2024 pm Service

The main ideas from this information are: - As Christians, we face many challenges and temptations in the world that can keep us from serving and growing for the Lord. - In Psalm 62, David expresses his confidence in God as his rock and salvation, even in the face of enemies and opposition. - We should trust in God at all times and not rely on worldly people or possessions. - Ultimately, God is the one we should turn to for refuge and salvation, as he is the one who will judge and reward everyone according to their works. It's constantly living in the world, but with your home in the back of your mind, going about your business, seeking the will of the Father, but knowing ultimately where your true desire is to be, and that is to be with the Lord one day when he calls us home, whether that is by death or by the cloud, as they say. Psalms chapter 62 talks about what, as we're here and we're being sojourners, we're sojourning in this world, there's so many things that can come at a Christian. I mean, we can make a list, a huge list, as far as what would keep us from serving the Lord, what would keep us from growing for him and exalting his name in our lives. So many things. The world and everything that goes about in it, people in the world, our flesh, spirits and things, spiritual things that we don't see, but yet we know that's there. So what leg do we have to stand on? What leg do we have to stand on? And that's where Psalms chapter 62 comes in. Psalms chapter 62 verse 21 or verse 1 says this, truly my soul waits upon God, from him comes my salvation. David writing this song knows where his confidence is. He only is my rock and my salvation, he is my defense and I shall not be greatly moved. So we see where David's confidence is. It's in the Lord. We go on to verse 3 and we see some things coming about that help David realize or cling to and test that rock, that defense that he has. He recognizes God as his strong tower, his strong defense. He says, how long will you imagine mischief against man, against a man? You shall be slain, all of you, as a bounding wall shall you be and as a tottering fence. We see in that first or in verse 3, how long will you imagine mischief against man? Now David's writing this and we know if you know anything about the Bible and anything about the history of David, David, yes, was a great godly man and he was a man after God's own heart. He did fail in more than a couple of points, right, and he did have a lot of enemies. He had a bunch of people that wish he would fall and wanted him dead, to put it simply. There's people there, there's people in this world, there's spiritual forces that plot against us, not for our good, but for our downfall. Where do we stand? And it says, we look on in verse 4, it says that they only consult to cast him down from his excellency. They delight in lies, they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. That word excellency. Before we address that second part of verse 3 and part of that verse 4, that word excellency, that was a word that intrigued me and as I was looking at it, it's a word that's equal to dignity. It's a synonym for that, which is the quality of state of being worthy, honored, or esteems of high-ranked office of position. So as we're living for the Lord, we're doing right, we're doing good and we're glorifying his name or David in that same position and in that, well, high position being king. There's people that want to knock us down, that want to cause us to sin and cause us to fall. Who do we hold on to, who do we turn to? It says in verse 1 and 2, David clings to his rock. David clings to the God of salvation. And what happens? We see in verse 3, these shall be slain, all of them, as a bow and wall shall you be in a tottering fence. They may be up momentarily, but they're going to fall. They will not stand and they will not endure. It says that these people delight in lies, they bless with their mouth, but curse inwardly. They're tricksters. They want to make sin seem good, that we may pursue it and ultimately fall ourselves. We see in verse 5, it says, my soul waits now only upon God, for my expectation is in him. Verse 6, he only is my rock and my salvation, he is my defense, I shall not be moved. David has a confidence in the Lord. Verse 7, in God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God. We keep on going. Verse 8, trust in him at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us. So David, in his trusting God, seeing how God has gotten him through moment for moment for moment, he turns it around and proclaims it to the people. This is not just a God for me to trust, but this is a God for you to trust. And that is so what we should be doing as Christians, as we are living our day to day life and we're seeing the challenges that come about, whether it's from the flesh, whether it's from the world or whether it's from spiritual forces, as we cling to the Lord and allow him to be our defense and our rock. We see his greatness and we see his mighty hand moving. That should cause us to turn around and encourage those that come behind us that have not yet faced that temptation or are maybe weaker, that we may exalt them and lift them up. That they may be able to trust in the Lord more and more, the rock of their salvation. We go on to verse 8, it says, trust in him at all times. We continue to verse 9, it says, surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie to be laid in the balance. They are altogether lighter than vanity. Now, this is some poetic language, right? What in the world does it mean? People of low degree. Let's start out with that. It says, people of low degree are vanity. What is low degree? People that maybe it's referring to age, maybe it's referring to position, it can really be going to either or, but really the language when you get into it, it is talking of a person itself. So, the young ones, they're vanity, it's a breath, it's pleading, the idea here, and this is from Lawrence Conetary, is that in the great matters which pertain to us, we cannot depend on men that are hoped and trust must be in God. Of men of the humbler or of the lower class, it is said that they are vanity. That is, they are like a vain, empty, unsubstantial thing. They cannot help us, it is useless to rely on them when we most need aid. The young ones, the lower degree, the humble, it's a fleeting thought what many youth are seeking, what many things are portrayed for them to go after. You know, I worked with a man named Bobby Culleton, and he says, he would always say this, that old age and treachery would always overcome youth and skill, but youth and skill when it lasts, when it is enduring in that time, seems like a great thing, but eventually even it goes away. So, what about the older ones? Says the men of high degree, what about the wise ones? What about the ones that have been around a while and have gone down the trail that we have not gone before? Surely we can trust in them, but yet it says in verse 10 or verse 9, high degree or a lie. Now don't misinterpret the scripture, yes, it is directly saying that, but notice the contrast. It's contrasting these, the men of low degree and the men of high degree against the rock, against the refuge, against the God of salvation. So my mentors here in this church that I've looked up to for years, though I do look up to y'all, though y'all have made a huge impact in my life, if I have to choose to rely on you or to rely on God for something, who do you choose? You choose the Lord, right? He is the ultimate salvation. He is the ultimate rock, and that's not saying that we shouldn't listen to those that are older, that have been around longer, that have been in the faith longer, but rather it's just saying when it comes down to it, God is the ultimate refuge. It says, to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Vanity, vanity, what is vanity? Things that are, it's not worth, it doesn't come out to anything, it's useless, and it's saying that it's even lighter than that. It's more useless than useless, if that makes sense. Trust not in oppression, verse 10. Trust not in oppression. This word oppression is interesting because it also means brutality. Trust not in your own strength. Trust not in how you can go about it. Become not vain in robbery. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. As we're going through this life, I've known some strong men that over the years you can see them, eventually that strength does fade. Remember that phrase that I said, that I heard from Bobby Cullison, old age and treachery always overcome youth and skill, eventually strength will fade. Gain through inhonest means will ultimately end in destruction. If riches increase, things are going good, God is blessing, remember who blessed you with them. God had spoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy, for thou renderest to every man according to his work. God desires that we trust in him. David recognized that God is the one to trust in, that he's the rock of salvation. When everything comes against us to cause us to fall, to cause us to sin, to cause us to betray our Lord, God is the firm foundation that we do not need to let go of. I'll end this little devotion with Luke chapter 12, verse 16 through 31. And it's a familiar passage, but it kind of ties in with the end of it, too. It says, and he spoke a parable to them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, this will I do, I will pull down my barns and build a grater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods, and I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much good laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat and drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? So it's he that lays up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God. His faith, his trust, his confidence was in the Lord, is in the Lord. Verse 22, and his disciples said unto him, Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, neither for your body that you shall put on. For the life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more are you better than the fowls? And which of you, with taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit? If you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow, they toil not, they spin not, and yet I say unto you, that Solomon, that Solomon in all of his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. If God's ends have clothed the grass, which is today in the field and tomorrow in casts into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? Seek not what you shall eat, neither drink, neither be ye a doubtful mind, for all these things do the nations of the world seek, and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather, seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you." God will protect us, God will guard us, and God will be with us in every situation. And praise the Lord, because with Jesus Christ we have salvation.