RESTING IN THE LORD
Psalms 37:7
Part 1
Introduction: At the pastor’s fellowship the other day, one of the preachers made the point that sometimes we get more out of the messages when the Lord gave us a thought. Then He mentioned in his message about resting in the Lord. That sparked me to reread this Psalm again. Then I was reading some other material and the Lord spoke to my heart with these thoughts that I want to share with you today and the next few Sunday mornings.
The main emphasis for this message today is found in verse seven. This psalm is contrast of the wicked and the righteous. There are "Four F’s" that should be found in the Christian’s life. They are: Fear not, Fret not, Faint not, and Forget not. Some of those are found in this Psalm.
The words that can describe the world today are frazzled, frantic and frustrated. Sadly they can also describe the Christians today.
We have forgotten what our Lord promised in Isaiah 26:3. "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in thee"
The Hebrew word "rest" means to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, and grow dumb. Many times we are frazzled, fighting and frustrated instead of resting in the Lord. We seem to prefer to keep the antacid companies in business than rest in our Lord.
This Psalm has a lot of links in the chain of God’s greatness. Someone has said that a chain is as strong as the weakest link. This chain has no weak links. What are the links in this chain?
1. Trust in the Lord. Vs. 3
2. Delight thyself in the Lord. Vs. 4
3. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Vs. 5
4. Rest in the Lord. Vs. 7
5. Wait on the Lord. Vs. 34
Charles Spurgeon wrote a book on the Book of Psalms. It is called the Treasury of David. Here are some of the introductory comments he made on this Psalm. “The subject of this Psalm is the great riddle of the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous, which has perplexed so many. It is here dealt with in the light of the future; and fretfulness and questions are most impressively forbidden. It is a Psalm in which the Lord hushes most sweetly the too common questions of his people, and calms their minds as to his present dealings with his own chosen flock, and the wolves by whom they are surrounded.”
It contains eight great precepts. Precepts can be viewed like great lessons. They are similar to the links in our chain that I mentioned earlier. I was reading this Psalm and some of the comments of Brother Spurgeon and I was rejoicing in my heart the great precepts our Lord has so greatly laid out before us. I want to give those eight precepts quickly before moving onto my message. The great precepts are:
1. "Fret not thyself because of evildoers". To fret is to worry. To worry over ones that can only destroy the body is sinful and useless while we serve one who can destroy both body and soul. But He is also able build up our bodies and souls and the world can never really do that.
2. "Trust in the Lord and do good". Trust is one of the Old Testament words for faith. Faith cures fretting. Doing good is a perfect remedy for fretting.
3. "Delight thyself in the Lord". This means make our Lord our joy and rejoicing of our spirits.
4. "Commit thy way unto the Lord". This means placing that burden of life on the One whom is able to sufficiently to bear it. Aren’t you glad there is One that is bigger than you and I to handle our problems instead of fretting over them.
5. "Rest in the Lord". This is to hush our spirit even in those times when all is trying to overwhelm us. Today we will be looking at that this verse of this Psalm.
6. "Cease from anger and forsake wrath". This requires a work upon the part of the Lord on our behalf to train us to follow this precept. Anger and wrath do not work the righteousness of God. They are sin. They are included in the burden of sin that Jesus died and carried upon Himself on our behalf. Anger and wrath shuts out our prayers. Anger is only one letter away from danger.
7. "Depart from evil and do good". We should depart from evil doers’ example. We should avoid even the very appearance of sin. We must set ourselves in the path of doing what God would have us to do.
8. "Wait on the Lord". We are to tarry at the Lord’s leisure. He is never in a hurry but He is never late. We wait in obedience to this precept as a servant. We wait in hope as an heir, yea joint heir with Christ. We wait in the expectation of our Lord as a believer. That little word "wait’ is easy to say but hard to carry out, faith must do it. But the wait is worth the time. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
James Smith has six areas in which we can rest. "We can rest in the will of God, for whatever he wills is your good, your highest good and of course, His glory. We can rest in the love of God and often mediate on the words of Jesus on this point, "Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me." We can rest in the mercy of God. We rest in the relation thy God fills to thee: He is the Father. We can rest in the Lord as He is manifested in Jesus, thy God in covenant."
I have four timeless truths in which you can rest in the Lord. I will give you one today and perhaps the other three next week. What are these timeless truths in which we can rest in the Lord. We can rest in His Promises. We can rest in His protection. We can rest in His provisions. We can rest in His providence.
Let us begin this journey down the glory of our Lord as we rest in His promises.
RESTING IN HIS PROMISES
I made reference some to this quote last Sunday from Moody. It really fits here. Dwight L. Moody said this on the promises of God. "Take the promises of God. Let a man feed for a month on the promises of God and he will not talk about how poor he is. You hear people say "Oh my leanness"; it is their laziness. If you would only read from Genesis to Revelation and see all the promises made by God to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to the Jews and to the Gentiles and to all His people everywhere- if you would spend one month feeding on the precious promises of God. You would not be going about complaining how poor you are. You would lift your head and proclaim the riches of His Grace because you could not help doing it."
I. THE SUBSTANCE OF HIS PROMISES
1 Kings 8:56
“Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.”
A. The definition of a promise
First of all we have to think about what a promise is. Samuel Johnson says a promise is the declaration of some benefit to be conferred.
Webster’s dictionary has several definitions. I will just give you one. A promise is the ground for hope, expectation or the assurance, often specified of eventual success.
A promise can be a legal binding contract.
The actual word "promise" is only found in the Bible a little over one hundred times. But there are other terms in the Bible which mean promise. For time’s sake I will not be able to cover this territory today. That is a whole exciting study in itself.
Nehemiah 5:12-13
“Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.”
Exodus 12:25
“And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.”
B. The defense of these promises
The substance in the promises of God in whom made them. God almighty made these promises. They are backed by His omnipotence and found throughout His infallible word.
Thank God his promises are not like piecrust, lightly made and easily broken. Our Lord is not an "Indian giver". Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
Hebrews 6:18
“That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us”
II. THE STIPULATION OF HIS PROMISES
A. A characteristic feature of God’s promises is that they may have more than one application.
B. But some times that are addressed to just one group of people. There are certain promises made to the Jewish people that Gentiles can never have.
C. We can take comfort in His promises for us. Let me illustrate with a choice verse.
Joshua 1:5
“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Even though that promise was made unto Joshua, it is still valid for us today when you study it out in other passages particularly the ones found in the New Testament. Matthew 28:20
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Hebrews 13:5-6
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Even though the whole Bible was written for us, it was not all written to us. Confusing promise made to the Jewish people is part of the mentality that a cult has. We are to rightly divide the Word of truth as we study the Scriptures.
The biggest word found in stipulation or the conditions that must be meet for the promise to be fulfilled is usually found in the word "if". Sometimes it is written and sometimes it is implied.
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
When searching out the promises of God, read carefully where the promise is made. Also to whom the promise is made. Make sure you check out why the promise is made. How was the promise made is important also. When the promise is made is very important too.
III. THE SURETY OF HIS PROMISE
The worth and excellency of any promise is enhanced by the evidence of the One who is making the promise. You will never a breach of contract by the Lord.
A. Divine promises can be realized in their fullest because they are the promise of Deity.
Romans 15:8
“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers”
Psalm 89:3
“I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant”
Each of the promises that we find in our Bibles has the breath of God on them.
2 Timothy 3:16
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
Because of that reason, it will not ever have the possible of non-fulfillment on them. What more proof do I need or even want?
B. Divine promises are backed entirely on His faithfulness. Deuteronomy 7:9
“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations”
Hebrews 10:23
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised”
1 Corinthians 1:9
“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
1 Thessalonians 5:24
“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
God’s faithfulness is our special ground of encouragement as we appropriate and bask in the promises of God. Lamentations 3:23
“They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
C. Divine promises are further guaranteed by His very names. Just His Hebrew Shaddai that means Almighty found only a mere thirty-nine times in the Bible is just one of the blessings of He will do as He promised.
Abraham commemorated God’s deliverance and grace on top of Mount Moriah by calling the mount Jehovah-Jireh. (The Lord will provide.)
Genesis 22:14
“And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”
Philippians 4:19
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Time does not permit us from examine His entire name list as Jehovah with another of His attached names to it. But I feel one more is in order. It is Jehovah-Shalom. This literally means the Lord sends peace. The peace that only comes from the Lord God is our only true antidote from fear, unrest and the turmoil of times. Let me illustrate with some of His precious promises.
Numbers 6:26
“The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Psalm 119:165
“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
Isaiah 26:3
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Ephesians 2:14
“For he is our peace”
2 Thessalonians 3:16
“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.”
D. Divine promises are always true. No one can ever point to them being untruthful.
Romans 3:4
“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar”
Joshua 4:24
“That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.”
Joshua 23:14
“And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.”
Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
E. Divine truths are also based on the fact that God loves us. 1 John 4:8
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Psalm 105:42
“For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.”
There is only thing our loving God forgets and that is the sins of the believer.
Hebrews 10:17
“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
There is one thing that He never, never forgets and that is the soul of one who has been redeemed by the precious blood of His Beloved Son.
Isaiah 49:16
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”
F. Divine promises are always backed by His power to deliver them. Jeremiah 32:17
“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee”
Mark 10:27
“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
Psalm 77:14
“Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.”
We rest assure that He has no unsettled debts. He is the Covenant-keeping God of the ages.
Joshua 23:14
“And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.”
Psalm 77:8
“Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?”
Jeremiah 33:14
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.”
Conclusion: Time does not permit nor space permits me from looking or discussing the scope of His promises. We can rest in the fact that He will do what He has promised.
Today if you are resting in another source of promises, you will find them to be a bag with holes in them. Come to the One who promises and gives salvation. Come to the One who promises and gives peace and real joy. Come to the One who alone is able to do exceeding above and beyond all that we ask or even think.
Next we can examine some other timeless truths in which we can rest.
