Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Psalms chapter 37. Psalm 37. I would like to just look for
a few minutes at the first five verses, Psalm 37. Let's read
this passage and we'll consider it for a moment. Psalm 37, one. Rent not thyself because of evil
doers. Neither be thou envious against
the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down
like the grass and wither as the green herb. Trust in the
Lord and do good. So shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord,
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way
unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall
bring it to pass. Fret not thyself. because of evil doers. In our passage today, God's people
are admonished to fret not, fret not. Don't be angry, furious,
burn or heat yourself in vexation or frustrated. Don't be frustrated. The first thing we need to consider
concerning the instruction to fret not is to ask ourselves
this. Who are we warned to fret not
against? Well, scripture says people doers. Unbelievers? Yes, yes. Obviously. prosperity of the
wicked has always been a stumbling block to God's people. The scripture says in Proverbs
29, 19, fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou
envious at the wicked. Psalm 73 verses 1 to 3 says this,
truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean
heart. But as for me, the psalmist said,
my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped. Why was that? For or because
I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of
the wicked. I began to eye what was going
on around me. I started seeing the prosperity
and the things, mess and stuff, you've
heard me say. It started to work on me. It started working on me. My
feet had almost slipped. But not only are we admonished,
warned, not fret against, unbelievers, the evildoers. Brethren, we need to take care
that we fret not against God, against the Lord. Now, how is
that? Well, our Lord is ruling and
reigning in this world, and nothing comes about without His express
permission. Power, guidance. Now we know
that everything that's in this world is ordered. Ordered by
God according to the purpose, the scripture says, of Him who
worketh all things. I've said before, now when it
says all things, let's just recognize what it means. All things, who
worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. Therefore, don't be frustrated. Don't fret. Don't fret against
evildoers. Fret not. Fret not. Don't be
frustrated. Fret against God. The prophet
Jeremiah knew that God Almighty is righteous. He's right. He does that which is right.
But ask humbly. Jeremiah did, and desired to
make an inquiry concerning why the wicked prosper. Jeremiah wrote, righteous art
thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee
of thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the
wicked prosper? Wherefore are they all happy
that deal treacherously? How is it, Lord, that these are,
they're evil, but they seem to be doing wonderfully? Oh, I tell you, brethren, all
believers possess this old heart, an old heart It has a tendency
to question God's providence. Now you know we do that. We just
have a questioning spirit about us that's just there and it's
going to be there until the Lord takes us out of this world. But
suffice it to say, however at a loss that we might be to understand
or to explain the ways of God and His providence, of this a
believer's sure. Almighty God is righteous, does
that which is right. It may not go the way we think
it ought to go or the way we thought it would go, but thou
art righteous. Therefore, fret not thyself because
of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity. Why? Why? Well, because according
to God's good pleasure and His infinitely wise counsel, the
Lord has left them with nothing more than a temporary prosperity. Think about how quickly this
world is passing away. We talk about this so much. I
know I bring it up. They're not going to eternally
prosper. fret not, fret not, fret not because of evildoers.
Neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity. Again, why? Look at verse two. For they shall
soon be cut down like the grass and wither like the green herb. I can't help, I brought this
up before, but I can't help think about whenever Have you ever
been to a funeral? Have you ever been to a funeral?
Now just, you know, just keep this to yourself, but let me
ask you this. Have you ever been to a funeral where somebody got
up and said, well, I can tell you this, this person's in hell
right now? I haven't either. They're always
in a better place. They're always, you know. But
concerning evildoers, those that know not our God, Those that
have not been brought by the grace of God and the power of
God to bow to the good pleasure of God, to call upon the Lord,
ask for mercy. Don't fret because of evildoers. Don't fret because of what you
see because they're going to be cut down. They're soon going
to be cut down. They're going to be cut down
like the grass and wither as the green herb. Never go out. be out there cutting grass or
something like that. You know, as soon as you cut
it, I mean, you can almost watch it start withering. It just,
I mean, it just seems like no time. They're gonna be cut down
and wither. How strong is grass, the grass
of a man's frail life, against the scythe of God's judgment? Don't fret. All the supposed
prosperity of the wicked that's going on around us is going to
immediately fade into the horror, the reality of eternal separation. I've tried to just, you know,
I don't like to dwell on it long, but I mean, I couldn't help just
read something like this and I think about somebody leaves
this world. Neil, they leave this world and
all of a sudden they realize, I'm in trouble. And it's eternal. It's eternal. I mean, we can
sit here for a few minutes and we can just kind of listen to
these things and realize one day this is going to become reality.
Why should we be envious? When we see the prosperity of
the wicked, we shouldn't. We shouldn't be envious because
it's only because of that spirit of lust for the things of this
world that we are. Look around and here again, we
see people, they seem to be doing well, they seem to be happy.
They don't care, they don't care for Things of God, they don't
care for the things of eternity. They don't want to hear anything.
They don't want to hear anything about the truth. Don't envy them. Don't, don't envy them. You know, I know we're all guilty
of doing that. I realize that, but that spirit
of envy, don't, don't do it. I want you to hold your place
right there and turn over. And you'd think, you'd think
that, turn over to the gospel of John chapter 21, John 21. John 21, I read this earlier
today. John chapter 21. The Lord had admonished Peter three
times. Ask him three times. Lovest thou me more than these?
Lovest thou me more than these? more than these, and the third
time, Peter, he was grieved at it, but the Lord had asked him
concerning that. And then it says in John chapter
21, in verse 17, he saith unto him the third time, Simon, son
of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he
said unto him the third time, lovest thou me? He said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, feed my
sheep. You love me, you feed my sheep. You feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou
wouldest. But when thou shalt be old, thou
shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and
carry thee whether thou wouldest not. Then spake, this spake he
signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had
spoken this, he saith unto him, follow me. Here's the Lord now. He's just, he just admonished
Peter three times. Ask him three times. Peter, you
love me. feed my sheep, feed my lambs,
feed my sheep. Then Peter, verse 20, turning
about. Now here's an apostle. This is
an apostle. This is one that's walked with
the Lord. He's heard, he learned the gospel from Christ. He followed
the Lord for over three years. Verse 20, then Peter turning
about, seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved, you know that was
John, following, which also leaning on his breast at supper, and
said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? John asked the
Lord. Lord, who's gonna betray you?
Verse 21, Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, what shall this
Now here's the Lord talking to John, and Peter decides that
he got a question. What about this man? I read some
comments that was made on this, and there were many. It was whether
it was a sincere inquiry, whether whatever it was, the Lord answered
him very, very plainly. Verse 22, Jesus saith unto him,
when Peter asked him, what about this man? What about him? And the Lord said unto him, if
I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow
thou me. Brethren, We all have a propensity
to lust. Lust after the attention. These that are in this world,
these that are evildoers, don't fret about them because they're
gonna soon be cut off. They're gonna be cut down. They're
gonna be like the green herb Don't desire what they desire. The Lord was telling Peter, Peter,
you stick to what I told you. Don't lust after them. Don't worry about whatever this
one asks or this one does. You follow me. Back in Psalm 37. 37 verse three, trust in the
Lord. Trust in the Lord and do good. So shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed. Trust in the Lord. Oh, I desire
to do that. I want to. I want to. Trust in the Lord. Have confidence
in Jehovah, our refuge. He's trustworthy. Trust him.
Trust in the Father. Trust in the Lord. The Father
who chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, whoever stood for us as
our surety, came into the world, made flesh,
and redeemed us from the curse of the law by the shedding of
His own blood. Trust Him. Trust the Spirit of
God. Trust the Holy Spirit who has
quickened us from the darkness and bondage of sin, convincing
us of what we are by nature, showing us the just due by the
grace of God who has forgiven us, cleansed us. And trust the
Comforter. Trust in the Lord. Trust the
Comforter who has taught us the gospel, who has sealed us, who
has directed us and leads us and guides us. Trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord, the one who
has brought all things to our memory. I think about right now,
just being able to remember the scripture, just to be able to
quote it. I think that, by the grace of God, that a man or woman
can do that, bringing these things to our understanding, the one
who sealed us to the day of redemption. Trust in the Lord. Actually, it means have confidence
in and be bold in. Trust in the Lord and do good
by faith, trusting Him. So shalt thou dwell in the land,
in the land of Quiet rest. That sounds so good. In the place
of rest. That's what the Lord promised
he gives his people. I'll give them, come unto me
all ye that labor, heavy laden, and I will give you, now listen
to this wonderful word, rest. Rest. I just want to be able
to rest. I just want to be able to rest
Just rest. Have you ever found yourself
just so, just, and you cry out to the
Lord, Lord, help me. Lord, help me. Lord, would you
give me some rest? Would you give me some comfort?
Lord, would you just clothe me? Wrap your arms around me. Hold
me. Would you just hold me? Just
hold me. Verse four. Delight thyself also
in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Delight thyself. Be pampered. Be pampered in the
Lord. Happy. Be happy in the Lord. be happy concerning the Lord
Jesus, wisdom himself, he who being incarnate, came into this
world, representative, our savior, our redeemer, he who is the father's
delight, who said concerning himself, I, wisdom, wisdom. Oh, may we delight ourself and
the one that delights in us. His delights, wisdom. Proverbs 8, with the sons of
men. The life of a believer is described
as a delight in the Lord. Delight thyself, delight thyself
in the Lord. I know to this world's religion,
it's a strange thing. to talk about or assemble ourselves
together and talk about being delight, delighted, delighted
in the Lord. I, as a unbeliever, younger man,
church, always went to church, you gotta go to church, but man,
I wanted it to be over. I just, you know, Man, how long
is he gonna preach? How long is this gonna go on,
you know? I just, I mean, I went because I had to go. Delight? No. No, sir. I could fake it
with the best of them. But to delight myself in the
Lord, I'm telling you, it was drudgery. It was mechanical. It was a duty that I had to do. I wanted to be seen, I had to
be there. but to be able to just delight myself in the Lord? No,
I had no, you know. Listen to what the psalmist said,
Psalm 122.1. I was glad when they said unto
me, let us go to the house of the Lord. I was glad, I was so
glad. I was so thankful. That's a miracle
of God's grace, that a man or woman would have a desire to
go to the house of the Lord and hear and rejoice in what they're
hearing. Psalm 62, 4 declares that the
unbeliever delights in lies. They're pleased and satisfied
with the message that gives man all the glory in his salvation. The scripture says, concerning
those they bless with their mouth, They bless the Lord with their
mouth, but they curse inwardly. Someone says, I've never done
that. Well, according to the scriptures,
we do. Every unbeliever, they curse
God in their heart. The Lord says, if you're not
for me, you're against me. You're not with me, you're against
me. Oh, but believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, By the grace
of God, they truly possess a heart in the one who has loved them,
eternally loved them. I've always loved you. I've loved
you with an everlasting love. Before we knew him, loved him. Delight thyself in the Lord. Now listen to this. And he shall
give thee the desires of thine heart. David, under the inspiration
of God's Spirit, wrote these words. One thing, have I desired
of the Lord. You know, I've read that scripture
so many times and it still amazes me. I mean, I think about, you
know, in my little simplistic, frail, unbelieving mind, well,
there's a lot of things. No. The Spirit of God moved upon
David to say this, one thing, This is one thing, and this is
all-encompassing. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house,
in the family, in the household, the habitation of the Lord all
the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and inquire
in His temple. We don't realize right now, how
wonderful it is to be able to come together and hear the word
of the Lord. We don't realize it. We don't
realize the fullness of it. We don't realize the depth of
it. David was moved to say, this is all I desire. One thing, one
thing. The apostle Paul summed up this
truth with these precious words. Yea, doubtless, I count all things loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom
I've suffered the loss of all things and do count them but
done that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine
own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through
the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that
I may know him and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. Oh, that I may know him. Or can
you, and again, no, I'm going to answer it, no, we can't. But
I started to say, can we only imagine in that day, They close our eyes. I was reading some concerning
Joseph when he closed his eyes, when he died. In that moment,
to see him and when we're, by the grace of God, eternally well,
eternally well. All of this, all these trials
and tribulations are over. In that day, Paul said, everything
else is lost. Everything else is nothing. Everything
else is dumb compared to knowing him. Last verse for this morning,
verse five. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall
bring it to pass. Commit, lay on him, Lay upon
him, commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust, trust also in him. Oh, we have a tendency all to
look at our situation and ask ourselves, why are things like
this? Why do things go this way? Why
is this happening to me? Why am I having to go through
this? Whatever we're going through, was committed unto us by the
Lord. The Lord committed this to us.
And He's going to keep us in the midst of it, whatever it
is. Marvin, whatever you're going
through, Marvin, commit your way unto the Lord. You can stick
your name in there if you want to. I'd just like to put mine
in there for right now. Commit your way We're walking
in a road that we've never walked in before. I want him to have my road committed
to him. Commit thy way. Oh, as we consider
God's word, behold these beautiful words of truth upon holy writ. Let me ask you this. Why should
we doubt? Richard man, Paul said, I see
in me, that is in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. To will
is present with me. I want to, I want to. But how
to accomplish that which I would, I find not. Has he not promised,
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Have you ever found in
any place in scripture Or anyone ever came to the Lord, committed
their way unto the Lord, trusted in the Lord with all their heart,
and God failed them? Do we think He's gonna start
today? Commit thy way unto the Lord. Roll your way upon trusting
Him, and He shall bring it to pass. I tell you, committing
our way unto the Lord unburdens our heart. It unburdens
our heart. I was reading something the other
day that Brother Don Fortner read, and it was talking about
these trials and tribulations that we go through. And Don gave
this word of advice. He said, if you want to know
the best thing in the world you can do in times of tribulation,
trials, He said, take out your Bible, start reading. Just read the
Word of God. Trust in the Lord. Trust what
He has to say. Commit your way unto the Lord.
He's going to bring His will to pass. For His glory and our
good, amen.