Psalm 36 is our study this evening. I'm taking the title for the
message from verse 9. Psalm 36 verse 9. Let's read
that one more time. For with thee, that is with thee
true and living God, with thee is the fountain of life and in
thy light shall we see light. When he turns on the light, we
see him as all of our salvation. Christ is all and in all in the
salvation of sinners. That's his business. He's in
the business of saving sinners. He said, I come to seek and to
save that which is lost. Thank God. Where would we be
without the Lord Jesus Christ coming, living and dying for
us, and ever living to intercede for us? We would be without God,
without hope, without Christ, without salvation now this psalm
is called the psalm of david the servant of the lord david
we know the scripture described him as a man after god's own
heart you see that right below psalm 36 which says a psalm of
david PRAISE OF DAVID, THE SERVANT OF THE LORD. NOW, NO HIGHER TITLE
CAN BE GIVEN TO A BELIEVER THAN TO BE KNOWN OF AND KNOWN AS A
SERVANT OF THE LORD. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF
IN SCRIPTURE IS CALLED THE SERVANT OF THE LORD IN ISAIAH 42, 1,
AND THEN AGAIN IN ISAIAH 53, He's called the righteous servant
of the Lord, who shall justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities. And we know from our study in
the epistles, the apostle Paul used this title often, didn't
he? Romans chapter 1 where he calls himself in other places
a servant of the Lord. He used that title more than
he did calling himself the apostle of the Lord. A servant of the
Lord, that is a loving, willing, bond servant who serves the Lord
out of love and thankfulness. In the book of Acts we studied
chapter 16. demon-possessed woman proclaimed
what the servants of the Lord do. You remember what she said?
These men are servants of the Most High God which show us the
way of salvation. That's what the servants of the
Lord do. They don't point to themselves.
The servants of the Lord, Paul says, we preach not ourselves
but we preach Christ and ourselves your servant for his sake. So
the servants of the Lord point sinners TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,
FOR HE IS THE ONLY SAVIOR OF SINNERS. NOW THIS PSALM, PSALM
36 CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS. IN VERSE ONE THROUGH FOUR WE
SEE THE REBELLIOUS CHARACTER AND SINFUL NATURE OF MAN. WE SEE THE GRACELESS MAN, THE
REBELLIOUS CHARACTER AND NATURE OF WHAT WE ARE. WHAT WE ARE. SECONDLY, IN VERSE 5, DOWN THROUGH
VERSE 9, WE SEE THE REVELATION OF THE GRACIOUS CHARACTER OF
GOD AND THE HOLY NATURE OF OUR GOD. THEN IN VERSES 10 AND VERSE
11, WE SEE THE BELIEVER'S PRAYER. THE BELIEVER'S PRAYER. OH, CONTINUE
THY LOVING-KINDNESS UNTO THEM THAT KNOW THEE. WE PRAY THE LORD
WILL NEVER LEAVE US AND NEVER FORSAKE US. AND THEN THE LAST
THING WE SEE IN THAT LAST VERSE, VERSE 12, WE SEE THE FINAL END
OF THOSE WHO REFUSE TO BOW TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. YOU REMEMBER
WHAT IT SAYS IN PSALM 2 WHERE IT SAYS, Lest he be angry, and
ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little,
blessed are all they that put their trust in the Lord." What
a privilege faith is that's the gift of God. Faith that's the
gift of God always looks to the one who gave it. looking unto
him, the author and finisher of our fate. Now, let's read
verse one through four, and we see the rebellious character
of all men everywhere. There's no exception to this.
All men everywhere, we've all sinned and come short of the
glory of God. The transgression of the wicked
saith within my heart, Here's what the transgression of the
wicked is. There is no fear of God. No fear
of God before his eyes. He flatters himself in his own
eyes until his iniquity be found to be hateful. The words of his
mouth are iniquity and deceit. You remember out of the abundance
of the heart, the mouth speaketh. He hath left off to do wise because
he's a fool. TO DO GOOD, HE DIVIDES UP MISCHIEF
UPON HIS BED, HE SETTETH HIMSELF IN A WAY THAT IS NOT GOOD, HE
ABHORRETH NOT EVIL, HE DELIGHTS IN EVIL, HE LOVES DARKNESS. NOW, WHOEVER FIRST USED THE PHRASE,
TOTAL DEPRIVATY, SINNERS ARE TOTALLY DEPRAVED, CONCERNING
OUR SINFUL NATURE, HE DIDN'T OVERSTATE IT, DID HE? We really
don't believe in total depravity when we say all men everywhere
are totally depraved. That's one thing to say that. Another thing to say, I'm totally
depraved. I'm the sinner. I'm the one that
sinned against God. That's why it says in verse one,
the transgression of the wicked sayeth within my heart, my heart. THIS DESCRIPTION IS FOUND THROUGHOUT
ALL SCRIPTURE. IT'S NOT COMMON TO ONE WRITER
OF SCRIPTURE, BUT ALL SCRIPTURE BEING INSPIRED OF GOD, ALL SCRIPTURES
HAVE THE SAME TESTIMONY, OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT.
ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. GOING ALL
THE WAY BACK TO GENESIS CHAPTER 6, LET ME READ THIS TO YOU, AND
GOD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS of man was great upon the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually every day." Now that was what God says of
Adam's race prior to the flood. But you know, after the flood,
what was God's estimation after the flood? In Ecclesiastes chapter
seven, verse 20, there's not a just man upon the earth that
doeth good and sinneth not. So the flood destroyed millions
of people. God saved Noah and his family,
but Noah and his family and his sons, what did they produce?
they replenish the earth with sinners just like before who
are in need of salvation. So all men everywhere are sinners.
This is displayed not only in our attitude, this is displayed
in our attitude against God. You remember FROM READING ROMAN CHAPTER 3
WHERE IT SAYS THERE'S NO FEAR OF GOD, BUT THAT ACTUALLY COMES
FROM PSALM 14. TURN OVER THERE. PSALM 14, THE
FOOL, VERSE 1. PSALM 14, VERSE 1, THE FOOL HATH
SAID IN HIS HEART THERE IS NO GOD. THEY ARE CORRUPT. THEY HAVE
DONE ABOMINABLE WORKS. THERE WAS NONE TO DO WITH GOOD.
THE LORD LOOKED DOWN FROM HEAVEN UPON THE CHILDREN OF MEN TO SEE
IF THERE WERE ANY THAT DID UNDERSTAND AND SEEK GOD. IS THERE ANY? They're all gone aside. They're
all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. And then Paul picks that up in
Romans three, and he said, there's no fear of God before their eyes.
No fear of God, no reference. Our fallen nature has no love
for God. Sinful as it is, no respect for
God, no reverence. Holden Reverend is his name,
but we don't think that naturally. We have to be taught that by
the Spirit of God. There's no reverence or worship
for the true living God, but rather hatred and rebellion.
What a sad story as a human race. What a sad story. The carnal
mind is enmity against God. The natural man receives not
the things of the Spirit of God. It doesn't surprise me when we
turn on the newscast in the evening and see all the wicked things
that go on in this world. That's just what we are. Wicked
men do wicked and sinful things. LOOK AT VERSE 2, FOR HE FLATTERS
HIMSELF, THERE'S NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE HIS EYES, HE FLATTERS
HIMSELF IN HIS OWN EYES. OH, HE THINKS HE'S A PRETTY GOOD
FELLA, UNTIL HIS INIQUITY, HIS INIQUITY, TRANSGRESSION, AND
SIN, BOUND TO BE HATEFUL. HERE'S THE PROOF OF THE FACT,
SINNERS AND UNGODLY REBELS FLATTER THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN EYES,
THEY THINK HIGH THOUGHTS OF LOW THOUGHTS OF GOD. WORSHIPING IDOLS. DEAD, COLD,
STONE DEAD IDOLS AND REFUSING TO BOW TO THE TRUE AND LIVING
GOD. BELIEVERS FEAR GOD AND SEE THEIR
SIN AND MOURN OVER THEM. GODLESS MEN Graceless men do
not see themselves as sinners, do they? But rather they justify
themselves before God. God-fearing men see their sins
and mourn over them. We acknowledge our sin and we
mourn over them. Examples. The Apostle Paul said,
O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body
of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. How about Isaiah? When he saw
the Lord high and lifted up, what did he say? Woe is me, I'm
undone. I'm a man of unclean lips. GOD
FEARING BELIEVERS SEE THEIR SINS, OWN THEIR SIN, ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR
SIN, MOURN OVER THEIR SIN, AND ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS. JOB,
DO YOU REMEMBER? HE SAID, I'VE SEEN THEE BY THE
HEARING, I'VE SEEN THEE, I'VE HEARD OF THEE, I'VE SEEN THEE,
WHEREFORE I ABHOR AND HATE MYSELF. OUR LORD SAID TO THOSE PHARISEES,
YOU ARE THEY WHICH JUSTIFY YOURSELVES BEFORE MEN. GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART. THAT WHICH IS HIGHLY ESTEEMED
AMONG MEN IS AN ABOMINATION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. THIS WORD HERE
IN VERSE 2, FOR HE FLATTERS HIMSELF, MEANS TO SMOOTH IT OVER. THEY
THINK THAT GOD WILL NOT SEE OR THAT GOD WILL NOT JUDGE, OR THEY
JUSTIFY THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD. BUT ONE DAY, IF NOT BY GRACE,
IT WILL BE BY THE JUSTICE OF GOD, ALL MEN EVERYWHERE WILL
BE MADE TO OWN THEIR SIN, CONFESS THEIR SIN, AND BOW TO THE LORDSHIP
OF CHRIST. AS WE READ A MOMENT AGO IN PSALM
2, THEY WILL KISS THE SUN. THEY WILL BOW TO THE SUN. EVERY
KNEE WILL BOW, EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,
TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. VERSE 3, THEIR WORDS ARE THEIR
MOUTH, INIQUITY, DECEIT, IS LEFT OFF TO BE WISE. THE FOOL HAS
SAID IN HIS HEART THERE IS NO GOD. NOT ONLY ARE HIS ACTIONS
FULL OF SIN, BUT HIS MOUTH SPEWS OUT THE EVIL OF HIS HEART. AGAIN
IN ROMANS 3, PAUL SAYS THE MOUTH, THEIR MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING
AND BITTERNESS. HE ACTS AS A FOOL BECAUSE A FOOL
HAS SAID IN HIS HEART THERE IS NO GOD. There is no God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. But those who do not fear the
Lord are fools. Fools. Look at verse four. He devises mischief upon his
bed. He sets himself in a way that
is not good. He doesn't hate sin. He doesn't
abhor his own evil actions, the ungodly, the unbeliever, plots
and plans and schemes, nothing but pure evil. He rejoices in
the pleasure of it. Oh, there's pleasures in sin
for a season. He meditates upon it, defends
it, and practices it with delight. Such is the sad character of
our fallen, sinful, guilty, sinful race. We know in Adam all sinned,
all have come short of the glory of God. That's what we confess
that we are before God. Not what I used to be. I still
have that rotten, fallen nature. I still think and do things I
shouldn't do. WISH I DIDN'T THINK THE THINGS
I DID, THE THINGS I DO." BUT YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF YOURSELF. YOU GOT TO LIVE WITHIN YOURSELF.
ONE DAY WE'LL PUT DOWN THIS SINFUL BODY. ONE DAY WE'LL BE DONE WITH
THIS OLD WRETCHED MAN THAT WE DRAG AROUND WITH US EVERY DAY.
NOW HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS. VERSE 5 ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH
VERSE 9, We see the revelation of the character of our God,
the graciousness of our God. Certainly much more pleasant
subject to talk about, isn't it? For the believer it is, we
own our guilt, we own our sin, but thank God we own that our
hope of salvation is, look what it says, thy mercy, oh Lord,
is in the heavens. GOD DELIED TO SHOW MERCY TO SUCH
AS WE ARE. ONE OF THE AMAZING FACTS OF THE
GOSPEL IS THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CAME TO SAVE SINNERS,
AND HE'S A GOD OF ALL GRACE. I LOVE THIS VERSE IN I PETER
5, 10, THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, WHO HAS CALLED US UNTO HIS ETERNAL
GLORY BY JESUS CHRIST. AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE,
MAKE YOU PERFECT, ESTABLISH, STRENGTHEN, SETTLE YOU, TO WHOM
BE GLORY AND DOMINION FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN. HE'S THE FATHER
OF ALL MERCIES AND THE GOD OF ALL GRACE. AMAZING FACT, ISN'T
IT NOT? THE LORD DIDN'T COME TO CALL
THE RIGHTEOUS BUT SINNERS, SINNERS TO REPENTANCE. THIS IS A FAITHFUL
SAYING AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. Remember what Paul said next?
I'm the chief one. He called himself a blasphemer,
a hater of God, persecutor of those who are believers. You
reckon those things gnawed on his conscience? YOU KNOW THEY
DID. YOU KNOW THEY DID. I'M THE CHIEF
OFFENDER AGAINST GOD, YET THE LORD SHOWED MERCY TO ME. NOW
THERE ARE SEVEN GLORIOUS CHARACTERS REVEALED HERE ABOUT OUR GRACIOUS
GOD. VERSE 5 SAYS, THE MERCY OF THE
LORD IS ABOUNDING. THE MERCY, THY MERCY, O LORD,
IS IN THE HEAVENS. AND THY FAITHFULNESS REACHES
UNTO THE CLOUDS. THE MERCY OF THE LORD IS ABOUNDING,
FAR REACHING, AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGH ABOVE US. LOOK AT PSALM
103. PSALM 103, VERSE 10. HE HATH NOT DEALT WITH US AFTER
OUR SINS, NOR REWARDED US ACCORDING TO OUR INIQUITIES. FOR AS THE
HEAVEN IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, SO GREAT IS HIS MERCY TOWARD
THEM THAT FEAR HIM. FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST,
SO FAR HATH HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSION FROM US. HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSION
FROM US. ONE OTHER SCRIPTURE, LOOK AT
PSALM 108, PSALM 108, VERSE 4, PSALM 108, VERSE 4, IS GREAT ABOVE THE HEAVENS, AND
THY TRUTH REACHETH UNTO THE CLOUDS. BE THOU EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE
THE HEAVENS, AND THY GLORY ABOVE THE EARTH. HOW FAR REACHING IS
THE MERCY OF THE LORD. WHEN WE CAN MEASURE THE VASTNESS
OF THE HEAVENS, WE CAN KNOW SOMETHING OF THE VASTNESS OF HIS RICH MERCY. YOU REMEMBER THE DESCRIPTION
OF WHAT WE ARE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 2? DEAD IN SIN, WITHOUT GOD,
WITHOUT HOPE, CHILDREN OF WRATH, EVEN AS OTHERS, AND THEN IT SAYS,
BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH
HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SIN, HATH QUICKENED US
TOGETHER WITH CHRIST. HE DELIKES TO SHOW MERCY. HE IS GLORIFIED IN SHOWING MERCY
TO SINNERS. IT IS OF THE LORD'S MERCIES THAT
WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, LAMENTATION CHAPTER 3, VERSE 22. HIS MERCY, NOT GIVING US WHAT
WE DO DESERVE. WHAT DO WE DESERVE? JUDGMENT. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. THE
GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE. NOT ONLY DOES HE MENTION HIS
MERCY THERE IN VERSE 5, BUT HIS FAITHFULNESS. His faithfulness. Our Lord is faithful in every
way. He never fails, falters, or forgets. Faithful to the Word, faithful
to His promises, THEY CANNOT FAIL. HE SAID, I'VE SPOKEN IT,
I BRING IT TO PASS, I PURPOSED IT, I WILL DO IT. FAITHFUL TO
HIS PEOPLE, HE SAID, I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU, I'LL NEVER FORSAKE
YOU. IT'S THROUGH THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS OUR
MEDIATOR, AS OUR CHARITY, AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE, THAT WE'RE
JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD. IT'S BASED UPON WHAT HE DID.
HIS FAITHFULNESS, HIS REDEEMING BLOOD, HIS SACRIFICE ON THE DEATH,
WHEREBY WE ARE JUSTIFIED THROUGH HIS FAITHFULNESS, THE FAITHFULNESS
OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOR. HERE'S THE THIRD THING HE MENTIONED
IN VERSE 6. HIS MERCY, HIS FAITHFULNESS,
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE GREAT MOUNTAINS. THY JUDGMENTS ARE
A GREAT DEEP, O LORD, THOU PRESERVEST MAN AND BEAST. OUR LORD IS RIGHTEOUS
AND MOST HOLY IN ALL HIS WAYS. OUR WISE LORD JUSTIFIES SINNERS
WITH A RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT HE PROVIDES FOR US IN THE GOSPEL. ISN'T THAT AMAZING? BLESSED IS
THE MAN WHOM THE LORD IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS WITHOUT WORK. WE
STUDIED THAT A COUPLE OF SUNDAYS AGO, REMEMBER? 2 CORINTHIANS
5, 21, GOD MADE HIM SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN, THAT WE MIGHT
BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM. HE PROVIDES THAT
RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT GOD DEMANDS HE PROVIDES IT IN CHRIST. CHRIST
IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THEN HE FREELY GIVES IT UNTO US. HOW
RIGHTEOUS DO I NEED TO BE TO STAND BEFORE GOD? HOW RIGHTEOUS
DO YOU NEED TO BE AS RIGHTEOUS AS GOD? HOW CAN THAT BE? WE'RE IN CHRIST. HE IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. OUR LORD IS RIGHTEOUS IN ALL
OF HIS WAYS AND HE'S A JUST GOD AND SAVIOR. HE'S JUST AND THE
JUSTIFIER. HE SAVES SINNERS IN SUCH A WAY
THAT HE DOES NOT COMPROMISE HIS HOLY CHARACTER, BUT RATHER MAGNIFIES
HIS OWN HOLY LAW, AT THE SAME TIME JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY. THROUGH CHRIST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
WHAT A MIRACLE THE GOSPEL IS. GOD CAN BE GOD. AND SAVE ME JUSTLY,
AND NOT VIOLATE HIS OWN HOLY CHARACTER, A JUST GOD AND SAVIOR."
AND THEN IT SAYS, THE FOURTH THING WE SEE IN VERSE 6, HIS
JUDGMENTS ARE GREAT DEEP. HIS JUDGMENTS, THEY'RE PAST FINDING
OUT. THY JUDGMENTS ARE GREAT DEEP,
O LORD, THOU PRESERVEST MAN AND BEAST. THE LORD IS NOT TO BE
QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS WAYS OF SALVATION. creation or providence. His ways of providence are mysterious,
but they're not to be questioned. They're not to be criticized.
They're to be submitted unto. As Job said, the Lord gave when
he lost his substance, his children, his health, and all things. And his wife said, why don't
you curse God and die? THE LORD GAVE, AND THE LORD HATH
TAKEN AWAY. BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD. HE WILL DO RIGHT, AND EVERYTHING
HE DOES IS RIGHT. THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH WILL
DO RIGHT. HE WORKETH ALL THINGS AFTER THE
COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL. Thy judgments are great deep. Who knows the depth of the riches
of the wisdom, both of the knowledge of God, His long-suffering and
His mercy? Let me read this to you. In Romans
11, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God, how unsearchable are His judgment and His ways past
finding out. WHO HATH KNOWN THE MIND OF THE
LORD, OR WHO HATH BEEN HIS COUNSELOR, OR WHO HATH FIRST GIVEN TO HIM,
AND IT SHALL BE RECOMPENSED TO HIM AGAIN, FOR OF HIM, AND THROUGH
HIM, AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS, TO WHOM BE GLORY FOREVER AND
EVER. AMEN. HIS JUDGMENTS ARE GREAT,
GREAT, DEEP. THEY'RE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ALL
TOGETHER. THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ALL TOGETHER. THE LAST PART OF VERSE 7 SAYS,
O GOD, HOW EXCELLENT, HOW PRECIOUS IS THY LOVINGKINDNESS, OR VERSE
7, RATHER. VERSE 7, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY
LOVINGKINDNESS. THAT WORD EXCELLENT, NOTICE THE
MARGINAL REFERENCE IS PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS. PETER USES
THAT WORD A LOT, DOESN'T HE? WE'RE REDEEMED WITH THE PRECIOUS
BLOOD OF CHRIST. WE HAVE OBTAINED LIKE PRECIOUS
FAITH. THE LORD SENDS US PRECIOUS TRIALS
UNTO YOU WHO BELIEVE HE IS PRECIOUS. OH, HE SAID, HOW EXCELLENT IS
THY LOVINGKINDNESS. NOW, LET ME READ THIS TO YOU.
YOU KNOW THIS. YOU DON'T NEED TO TURN AND READ
IT. YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS. HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O GOD. ACCORDING
TO THY LOVINGKINDNESS, according to the multitude of thy tender
mercies, blot out, blot out my transgression, blot out my sin. Oh, how excellent is thy loving
kindness, oh God. Therefore, the children of men
put their trust in him under the shadow of thy wings. Now, we don't trust a shadow,
we trust substance. But what he's saying here, the
shadow points to the substance, doesn't it? Your shadow casts,
your body casts a shadow. I can see my shadow down here,
but it leads to the substance, doesn't it? And the shadow of
his wings is Christ himself. How blessed it is for the children
of men to trust the Lord. to trust the Lord. You remember
this Psalm? I read it all the time. He only
is my rock, my defense, my salvation, I shall not be moved. And God
is my salvation, my glory, the rock of my strength and my refuge
is in God. Psalm 62 verse eight, trust him
at all times. YOU PEOPLE, POUR OUT YOUR HEART
BEFORE HIM. GOD IS. GOD IS. HE'S A REFUGE FOR US. HOW EXCELLENT, HOW PRECIOUS IS
THY LOVING KINDNESS UNTO US. GOD IS LOVE. HIS LOVE IS LIKE
HIMSELF HOLY, ETERNAL, SOVEREIGN. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM
THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE
SINNERS TRUST HIM. THEY TRUST HIM. Notice there's
a reference there in the last part of verse 7, under the shadow
of thy wings. It says Ruth chapter 2 verse
12. Don't turn, let me just read
it to you. That's where Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, says to
Ruth. You remember that story, that
love story? The Lord recompensed thy work and a full reward be
given unto thee. OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, UNDER
WHOSE WINGS THOU ART COME TO TRUST. WHAT A BLESSED THING IT
IS TO TRUST THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. TRUST HIM AT ALL TIMES. POUR
OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE HIM. THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST IS OUR SURE HIDING PLACE, A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM.
HE'S OUR ONLY REFUGE. HE'S OUR HIDING PLACE. LOOK AT
VERSE 8. THEY SHALL BE ABUNDANTLY SATISFIED. THAT IS, THOSE WHO TRUST HIM,
THEY'LL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED. THOSE WHO TRUST HIM, THE SHADOWS
OF HIS MERCY, THE SHADOWS OF HIS LOVE, THEY SHALL BE ABUNDANTLY
SATISFIED WITH THE FATNESS OF THY HOUSE. BELIEVERS ARE SATISFIED
WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. They shall be abundantly satisfied. Thou shalt make them drink of
the river." There's rivers of mercy. The rivers of thy pleasures,
the rivers of thy pleasure. The Lord is a gracious provider
for he is called Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. My God
shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory through
Christ Jesus. He shall abundantly satisfy his
people. WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF REDEMPTION. HE'S PLENTIUS IN REDEMPTION.
WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF MERCY, AN ABUNDANCE OF GRACE. IS THERE
ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF IN REGARDS TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS
THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FULLNESS OF? ABUNDANTLY HE BLESSES US
WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST. THEY SHALL BE ABUNDANTLY
SATISFIED WITH THE FATNESS OF THY HOUSE, AND GOD WILL MAKE
US TO DRINK OF THE RIVER OF THE RIVER OF THY PLEASURES. THY PLEASURES. GO OVER HERE TO
PSALM 46. PSALM 46, VERSE 1. GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH,
a very present help in trouble, therefore will not we fear. Though
the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into
the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof roar and be
troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof,
there is a river. The streams whereof shall make
glad the city of God, the holy place, the tabernacle of the
Most High. God is in the midst of her. She
shall not be moved, God shall help her, and that right early,
that right soon. Those who find Christ to be their
eternal shelter also find Christ to be the storehouse of all spiritual
blessings. Remember, of his fullness have
all we receive grace for grace. Now verse seven, or excuse me,
verse nine. For with thee, with thee is a
fountain, a bubbling eternal fountain, a fountain of life,
a fountain of salvation. LORD SAID, I'M COME THAT THEY
MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY. I'M THE DOOR, REMEMBER? I'M COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE
LIFE AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY, FOR WITH THEE IS A FOUNTAIN,
AN OVERFLOWING, ETERNAL FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. HE SAVES HIS PEOPLE
WITH AN EVERLASTING SALVATION. HE GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST. THE LAST PART, SECOND PART OF
VERSE 9, IN THY LIGHT Shall we see light? Remember God who commands
the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts that
we might see the glory of God that shines in the face of the
Lord Jesus Christ. In thy light, we see light. When he turned on the light,
we see him who is the light. The Lord is the giver of all
life. HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING. BUT IN SPECIAL
REGARD TO SALVATION IN CHRIST, HE'S THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. THERE
FLOWS OUT FROM HIM AN EVER-ENDING STREAM OF FORGIVENESS, PARDON
FROM ALL SIN. GOD SAID THERE'S SIN IN THEIR
INIQUITIES, WELL I REMEMBER NO MORE. HE ABUNDANTLY PARDONS.
THERE'S A WELL, SPRING OF WATER, SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING
LIFE. CAN'T YOU SAY WITH A WOMAN AT
THE WELL, LORD, GIVE ME THAT WATER. Give me that water. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
the light of life. He said, I am the light of the
world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have the light of life. The light of life. Now, verse
10 and verse 11, we see the believer's prayer.
And we'll just read this. Oh, continue thy loving kindness
unto them that know thee. You know, his loving kindness
toward us, he said, I've loved thee with an everlasting kindness. Therefore, with everlasting kindness
will I draw thee unto myself. Oh, continue thy loving kindness
unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness. He gives us
his righteousness abundantly. Abundantly, abundantly. I was thinking of a scripture
here just right now. Let me see if I can find it.
Sometimes it's dangerous to do this. Isaiah 32, 17, and the work of
righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness
quiet and and assurance forever. My people shall dwell in a peaceful
habitation, in sure dwelling places, in a quiet resting places. The work of righteousness shall
be peace. Oh, continue thy loving kindness
unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to them who
are upright in heart. The Lord Jesus Christ has made
unto us righteousness. He's our righteousness. I don't
have any of my own. You don't either. But everything
that God demands of us is fully and eternally supplied in Christ. Let not the foot of pride come
against me. God save us from self-righteousness.
That's what pride's all about. Religious pride, God hates. God
hates religious pride. That's why he has such a, rebuke
to those Pharisees. He called them all kind of horrible
names and yet he showed tender mercy to those sinful people. Let us never graduate above being
a sinner saved by the grace of God. Let not the foot of pride
rise up in our heart. You know, there's pride of race, pride of face, pride of place,
There's also pride of grace. Let us not be proud. Let us be
humble. He's not them of a broken heart.
Save us such as be the contrite spirit. Let not the hand of the
wicked remove me, discourage me, taught me, hound me, LET NOT THE HAND OF THE WICKED
MOVE ME OR WAVER ME FROM TRUSTING THE LORD, FROM LOOKING TO THE
LORD FOR ALL SALVATION, FROM DECLARING THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST. LET NOT THE WICKED INFLUENCE
US TO QUIT OR COMPROMISE. THE LAST THING HE SAYS, PAYDAY'S
COMING. THE REBELS FINAL END. THERE ARE THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY
FALLEN. THEY ARE CAST DOWN AND SHALL
NOT BE ABLE TO RISE UP. THIS PSALM BEGINS WITH THE DESCRIPTION
OF THE WICKED AND ENDS WITH THEIR FINAL DOOM. ALL THOSE NOT FOUND
IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST We'll hear him say, those who said,
Lord, we preached in your name. We've done many wonderful works
in your name. He said, depart from me, you
workers of iniquity. I'll close by reading this. We know him that has said, vengeance
belongs unto me. I will recompense, saith the
Lord, and again, THE LORD SHALL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE. IT'S A FEARFUL
THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF A LIVING GOD. I DON'T WANT
TO FACE GOD WITHOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. IN HIM, WE'RE SAFE
IN HIM, BUT OUTSIDE OF HIM, GOD SAID TO THOSE ON THE LEFT HAND,
DEPART FROM ME IN EVERLASTING CONDEMNATION. BLESSED ARE THOSE
SHEEP Come inherit the foundation of eternal life. Come inherit
salvation that's prepared for you from everlasting to everlasting. Thou art God.