Rest in the LORD

Wait Patiently For Him

Spiritual Mountaintop

• In the presence of:– Heavenly Father– Jesus– Brethren

• Learned, rejoiced– Discourses– Fellowship– Away from the world

Focus has been spiritual!

Tomorrow

• What will we carry with us?

• How will we be different?

• How will we approach experiences differently?

What can we and will we do to be more pleasing to the Lord?

Psalm 37

A Psalm of David

1 Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers.

2 For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.

Psalm 37

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD; and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37

5 Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your

judgment as the noonday.

Psalm 37

7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him: do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Psalm 37

9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. Psa. 37:1-10 (NASB)

Psalm 37

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Psa. 37:11 (RSV)

Do Not Fret

• Irritates, distracts, causes problems– Caused by evil-doers

• Create problems for us• Take advantage of our

generosity• Falsely accuse us • Say untrue, hurtful things.

Don’t worry about them, they will fade away! Psa. 37:1-2

Do Not Fret

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the LORD always.” Prov. 23:17 (NASB)

19 Do not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked; 20 For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked

will be put out. Prov. 24:19-20 (NASB)Only future is for those who become children of God and thus, righteous!

Trust in the LORD

• “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” Psa. 37:3 (NASB)

• Help us trust in the LORD even more

• To be obedient children– We must trust Him

We will not follow God’s leading and will, unless we have that trust!

Jesus’ Trust in God

• “I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.” Psa. 26:1 (NASB)

• Humble himself twice– Being made flesh – Unto the death of the cross

Phil. 2:7-8

• Came from Jesus’ knowledge of, acquaintance with God

Based on this trust, he committed his existence, path to God’s will!

Our Trust in God

• “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Prov. 3:5 (NASB)

• Submit to God’s will, leading

• “I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust.’” Psa. 91:2 (NASB)

“Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.” Psa. 125:1 (NASB)

Do Good

• “Trust in the LORD and do good.” Psa. 37:3 (NASB)

• Trust in God leads to activity

• Comes from the work of sanctification

• From internalizing the principles of Truth, righteousness

If we learn, assimilate the right principles, we will be well-equipped!

Jesus Did Good

• “He went about doing good.” Acts 10:38 (NASB)

• Loved his enemies to his last breath on the cross . Matt. 5:44-45

“Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;” 1 Peter 2:22-23 (NASB)

Our Doing Good

• “While we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Gal. 6:10 (NASB)

• “So choose life in order that you may live … by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days.” Deut. 30:19,20 (NASB)

Loving God, obeying God, holding fast to God!

Live in the Land

• “Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” Psa. 37:3 (NASB)

• “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:16 (NASB)

• Reflecting the light of God– Showing we have been with

Jesus

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Gal. 5:16 (NASB) “All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Rom. 8:14 (NASB)

Cultivate Faithfulness• How God has led us:

• “O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling places.” Psa. 43:3 (NASB)

• How God has protected us:

• “You have made the LORD, … your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.” Psa. 91:10-11 (NASB)

Cultivate Faithfulness

• How God has blessed us

• “You have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” Rom. 8:15 (NASB)

• God’s great love toward us:

• “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:32 (NASB)

As we meditate on these blessings, it will cultivate greater faithfulness!

Delight Yourself in the LORD

• “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psa. 37:4 (NASB)

24 Place your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

25 Then the Almighty will be your gold and choice silver to you.26 For then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to

God. Job 22:24-26 (NASB)

Jesus’ Delighted in God

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.

16 I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.

24 Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors.

47 I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love.

Jesus’ Delighted in God

48 I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love;

77 May Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight.

174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight. Psa. 119:14, 16, 24, 47, 48, 77, 174 (NASB)

By delighting in God, our Lord aligned his heart with God’s heart!

Delight in God

• To delight in God– Must align our heart with

God’s

• Delighting in God makes us– More submissive, obedient,

conformed to the image of Jesus. Rom. 8:29

"If you turn back your foot from ... doing your pleasure on my holy day; … if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth.” Isa. 58:13-14 (RSV)

“Christian sabbath keeping is to refrain from doing our own ways, finding our own pleasures and speaking our own words -- every day.” Bro. Russell, Harvest Gleanings, p. 583

Desires of Your Heart

• “He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psa. 37:4 (NASB)

• Our desires will be– Aligned with God’s

• “He asked life of You, You gave it to him.” Psa. 21:4

“O LORD, in Your strength the king [Jesus] will be glad, and in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! You have given him his heart’s desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.” Psa. 21:1-2 (NASB)

Desires of Jesus’ Heart

• To please, honor the Father

• To be like God in character

• “I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” John 8:29 (NASB)

• “The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.” John 14:10 (NASB)

“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4 (NASB) “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:5 (NASB)

Desires of Our Heart

18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.

19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.

20 The LORD keeps all who love Him:” Psa. 145:18-20 (NASB)

God is pleased to fulfill the desires of our hearts which are in harmony with His own.

Commit Your Way

• “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” Psa. 37:5 (NASB)

• Let the LORD direct our path– On a daily basis

• “Let the LORD lead you.” (CEV)

“I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 5:30 (NASB)

God’s initiative was Jesus’ initiative!

Jesus Committed His Way

• “I have not come of Myself, but He who sent me is true.” John 7:28 (NASB)

• “I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.” John 8:28 (NASB)

“Truly, truly, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” John 5:30 (NASB)

Commit Our Way

• Commit path of life to His direction on a daily basis

• “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path because of my foes.” Psa. 27:11 (NASB)

• “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” Psa. 86:11 (NASB)

“O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; make your way straight before me.” Psa. 5:8 (NASB)

Commit Our Way

• World, flesh, Satan– Distract our focus affection

from the LORD, His way

• “Our heart has not turned back, and our steps have not deviated from Your way.” Psa. 44:18 (NASB)

• “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Matt. 26:42 (NASB)

“What shall I do, Lord?” Acts 22:10 (NASB)

He Will Do It• “Trust also in Him, and He will do

it.” Psa. 37:5 (NASB)

• Without trust, our commitment– Half-hearted, ineffective

• If we both commit, trust– Then God will do it

“He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.” Psa. 37:6 (NASB)

Righteousness and Light• Part of New Jerusalem

– Bring light, Truth, righteousness to mankind

• “I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness … and I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations.”

Isa 42:6 (NASB)

• “I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isa 49:6 (NASB)

“For when the earth experiences Your judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Isa. 26:9 (NASB)

Rest in the LORD

• “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him.” Psa. 37:7 (NASB)

• Rest = Strong’s 1826– To be silent, still, dumb

• To be still, wait patiently on Him

• God wants us to listen to Him– His words, wisdom, direction

“Know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.” Psa. 4:3-4 (NASB)

Be Still in the LORD

• “Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Isa. 30:21 (NASB)

• “That ye aspire to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands.” 1 Thess. 4:11 (RVIC)

“The hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:4 (NASB)

Be Still in the LORD

• “It is written.” Matt. 4:4,7,10 (NASB)

• “He shall not quarrel, nor cry out; nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.” Matt. 12:19 (NASB)

“Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, … while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1 Peter 2:21-23 (NASB)

“Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Prov. 1:33

Wait Patiently for Him

• “Wait patiently for Him.” Psa. 37:7 (NASB)

• Wait for God– Fulfill his promises to us– Deliver us from our enemies– Fulfill our hope in Him

5 My soul, wait in silence for God only; for my hope is from Him.6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be

shaken.7 On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my

refuge is in God.8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Psa. 62:5-8 (NASB)

Psalm 37

7 Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

Those who wait on the LORD will inherit the land – forever!

Psalm 3710 Yet a little while and the

wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psa. 37:7-11 (NASB)

“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5

Psalm 37

• “Trust in the LORD and do good.”

• “Delight yourself in the LORD.”

• “Commit your way to the LORD.”

• “Be still in the LORD.”

• “Wait patiently for Him.”

“He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.”

Inherit the earth as a member of the Christ!