TEST: I AM AN READY TO QUIT… FRUSTRATION… WATCHING PEOPLE
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
(I have a towel, discuss Roberto Duran’s most famous fight was against Sugar Ray Leonard. Roberto threw in the towel and quit early in the fight? WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?)
How easy can our attitudes lead us to spiritual blindness?
Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Have you ever watched a pig under an oak tree or an apple tree? He will eat and eat and never once look up, seems he does not appreciate the source of his food?
ASAPH IS GIVEN CREDIT FOR 12 PSALMS. There are 12 Psalms that have Asaph listed, Psalms 50, Psalms 73 – 83.
Asaph was a trusted leader of Israel. He took care of the “ARK OF THE COVENANT.” Asaph was a super talented singer and a trained musician. Asaph was a trusted friend of King David and King Solomon. We must also consider that Asaph was a divine called prophet and he often heard from God, in Old Testament terms we would call him a “SEER.” Asaph also functioned to help keep God’s temple in order.
* Asaph’s name came from the Hebrew root is “SP.” … Which often referred to binding, gathering and harvester.
MANY OF ASAPH’S WRITINGS ARE REFERRED TO AS “MASKILS.”
*MASKIL: smart, wise, enlightened, intellectual, deep thought, complex, think about, meditate upon.
I want us to focus on one of ASAPH’S most famous works. It is a masterpiece of real daily living. Asaph gets really honest with us as he pens some wonderful words. He starts out with a deep conclusion. There is NO DOUBT ABOUT IT GOD IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
PSALMS 73 IS THE 12TH PSALMS ON LEARNING OR INSTRUCTION.
Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Psalm 73:1 (MSG) An Asaph psalm No doubt about it! God is good— good to good people, good to the good-hearted.
WHILE ASAPH ACKNOWLEDGED HOW GOOD GOD WAS… ASAPH POURED HIS HEART OUT… I AM READY TO QUIT… I AM GOING TO THROW IN THE TOWEL.
Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Psalm 73:2 (NLT2) But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
Psalm 73:2 (MSG) But I nearly missed it, missed seeing his goodness.
We must guard our hearts to AVOID THE QUITTING MENTALITY.
ASAPH SOUNDS LIKE A PROBLEM IS HIDDEN IN YOUR WORDS ABOUT GOD’S GOODNESS.
GET READY MY FRIEND, ASAPH IS GOING TO BE HONEST AND BRING UP A GREAT CONTRADICTION… GOD IS REALLY GOOD, BUT SEEMS I AM WORKING HARDER THAN ANYONE AND OTHERS ARE DOING MUCH BETTER THAN I AM DOING?
Psalm 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73:3 (MSG) I was looking the other way, looking up to the people
WHY IS ENVY SO BAD? The real goals in life are much more than materialism and accumulating stuff. What good is it to be prosperous at the expense of LOSING EVERYTHING…
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
1. Seems like they are so blessed, they increase, they win all their games? Seems like they never have any problems? My eyes distort the real facts.
2. I have nothing. All I have is trouble?
CAN WE NOT SEE REALITY? WE TEND TO WATCH MEN AND THINGS INSTEAD OF WATCHING GOD… WE TEND TO COMPLAIN AND FIND FAULT. WHAT IS MY MOTIVE IN FOLLOWING GOD… MORE TOYS?
Psalm 73:7 Their eyes BULGE WITH ABUNDANCE: they have more than heart could wish.
I ALMOST QUIT, THIS IS TOO PAINFUL FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT… watching people?
Psalm 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
I DECIDED TO GO TO CHURCH ONE MORE TIME… BEFORE I QUIT…
Psalm 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
At church Asaph saw it was foolish to watch people, he focused on God.
ASAPH LEARNS A GREAT LESSON, QUIT WATCHING PEOPLE, AND COME INTO THE SWEET PRESENCE OF A MIGHTY GOD… IT IS GOOD TO DRAW NEAR GOD….
Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
CONCLUSION: In 1981 I left teaching school to pastor a small missions work that averaged 3 in Sunday morning worship for the year of 1980. I had a wife and two small sons. Someone needed to mow church and we could not afford a lawn mower. My son and I went up garbage hollow and we found a push mower body with 3 wheels and no motor. We also found a no good body that had a motor. It started but a cloud of blue smoke covered us. So we went home and borrowed some tools and took the motor off and put it on the 4 wheel deck that only had 3 wheels. We transferred the motor and immediately I mowed the church. It took longer to get the mower running than it did to mow. I did not dare turn the mower off. I went next door and mowed an old couples grass. They never offered me a penny, but I was happy to mow their small yard. She pointed another poor old lady’s yard and I would mow them weekly. I HAD A LARGER YARD TO MOW where we rented. It took me 40 minutes to get the mower started. Blue smoke choked me? Pushing the 3 wheeled mower really hurt my back. I was dripping sweat before I got started. I looked up the hill, a lady was on a big brand new John Deer. She was speeding around. She was wearing a bikini. I sat there and got blistering angry. I pulled out my Bible and read while the mower ran and I cooled off, Psalms 73. I gave up everything and was mowing 5 yards a week and a small graveyard. People laughed at my 3 wheel push mower. I was thankful for it until I saw my neighbor?
Let us skip 25 years down through history. Their John Deer was repro’d. The bank foreclosed on the house. The couple went through an ugly divorce, married again and divorced several times. They lost everything. They turned to drugs and alcohol.
Now 40 years later I have a 60 inch Gravely Pro Turn lawn mower. I mow 3 acres at church for no pay. I mow three acres at home. This summer I mowed my sons grass 3 weeks as his mower was in the shop. My oldest grandson purchased a home, I mowed his grass 4 weeks, then Linda and I bought him a John Deer. I remembered it is GOOD TO SERVE THE LORD!
God is good. He is not finished with you or your family. Be faithful and trust the unseen hands of the DELIVERER.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
