Religion vs. Relationship | Psalm 50 Week 20

We're on Psalms chapter 50 if you want to turn over to there. And uh we've been going through this and we had to skip last week because of the um VBS, but we're back on track here again. And as we look at Psalms chapter 15 50 um he's talking about uh to uses begin the book the the three names of God. The mighty God even the Lord had spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun. And we see all three names of God here. And um and as we go into it, he talks about in verses 7-15, he talks about sacrifices and how often we bring sacrifices and God says, you know what? Uh I don't need your sacrifices.

Uh and 1 Samuel talks about your that to obey is to better the sacrifice. And our sacrifice is not about God needing from us. It's about us needing to needing God. And uh when we give it, it changes our relationship with the Lord. And we need to understand that. And so we went through that process and number two there. And so we're on number three in Psalms chapter 50 beginning verse number 16. But unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou done to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and cast my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou contentest with him, and has been a partaker with adult adulterers.

Thou givest the mouth to evil, and thy tongue frame deceited. Thou sitest and speakest against thy brother. Thou slandest thy own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, that thou thoughtest that I was altogether such as one as thyself. But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whosoever offerth praise glorifies me and to him that ordered the conversation right will I show the salvation of God. He said listen you you you you got this religion but you don't have the relationship.

And um and that's where he talks about there and and and and he talks about in verse number 17 see thou hast hatest instruction and cast my words behind thee. Uh there are sometimes we just don't want to listen to God. And the idea of casting thy words behind me is is you leave them there. You know, you come to church on Sunday, you hear the message, you hear the preaching of God's word and and and and you hear it, but you walk out the door and that's the last you remember it. Uh you don't don't hold on to that. You don't keep a hold of that in your life. And and so this it's important for us to realize this not just religion, it's a relationship.

And and so he talks about there that here in this passage. And then um we talked about you know the versus we talked about A and B and we're on number four under B there. And uh the problem is they they take it out of context. They fail to search and study the scriptures. They emphasize all the wrong things. And then number four there trying to teach others what they have not applied. Look at verse number 17 again. seeing thou hatest instruction and cast my words behind thee is is not willing to uh try to teach others but not applying your own life in that way. Look at Romans chap 2 and verse number 21.

Romans chapter 2 and verse number 21. Thou therefore which teaches another teach not thyself. Thou that preaches, a man should not steal. Does thou steal? And so we're we we it's so easy and I can tell you this as a pastor as well. So easy to stand up there and preach or teach on something and not being applying your own life. And and we have to be careful that we're we're not only uh listening to it, but when we listen to it, we don't just leave it behind, but we're really applying in our daily life and then sharing it with others, but we can't teach others what we've not applied in our life as well.

And and so often what we have is we have a head knowledge without a heart knowledge. Go to Isaiah chapter 29 and verse number 13. Isaiah chapter 29 and verse number 13. Wherefore the Lord said, "For as much as this people draw near uh me with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." And and so again, what happens is we have that head knowledge. We know all the right things, but we're not applying them in our lives. And and this is what he's he's speaking out against. And and and we need to understand in our lives as well.

I'm studying right now for the Sunday night message on Philippians chapter 2. And and uh in there, it's got kind of the same thing is is what happens. We end up treating church like a club. and uh and and and it's something we can take or leave rather than really seeing it as a as an opportunity really to build relationships and to follow the Lord and walk with the Lord and uh and doing that. And uh so this idea of casting my words behind me in verse 17 is used elsewhere in the Bible. Let's look at Nehemiah chapter 9. The book of Nehemiah uh chapter nine. Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Nehemiah chapter nine and uh verse number 26.

Nehemiah chapter 9 and verse number 26. Nevertheless, they were disobedient, rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations. So they cast the law behind their backs as they just kind of left it there and and didn't take it with them. Look at First Kings chapter 14 and verse number N. First Kings chapter 14 and verse number N. First Kings 14:9 it says, "But hast done evil above all that were before thee, for thou hast gone and made thee other gods and molten images to provoke me to anger and has cast me behind thy back."

Uh we just kind of leave God back there behind us. We we leave him behind when we go to work. We leave him behind when we go out to have fun. We leave him behind when we leave church instead of taking him with us. And that's the idea of that phrase. Uh, go over to Ezekiel chapter 23. Ezekiel chapter 23 and verse number 35. Ezekiel 23 and verse number 35. Ezekiel 23:35. The Bible says, "Therefore, thus sayith the Lord God, because thou hast forgotten me and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also the lwdness and the whoredom." And and so again, what he's trying to emphasize here is is, you know, when you come to church, do we just leave it at the door or do we take it home with us?

Do we take it? It's So, one of the things that as parents, by the way, I challenge you with is when you go home from church, either on the drive home or uh when you get home over lunch is take times to ask your kids, "What did you bring home for church? What did you take away from church?" And we as parents don't do that well with our kids. It's like the the patch the pirate club on on Sunday night is uh I one of the reason I love the patch pirate club is because they have the devotional books and uh and and the kids can do devotions. But you know what happens so often is they do devotions Sunday afternoon before they come to church Sunday night because we as parents have have left it behind rather than saying we need to have God every day and we're not teaching them to do that in our lives and so we we leave it behind us.

He says, "You you've uh forgotten me, but also not only have you forgotten me, but you've left me behind, and you've not brought me with you into your daily life is what he's talking about here." So, um the cross references are helpful in looking at that. And then going back to Psalm 15, how do we cons consent with the sins of adulterers and thieves? Verse 18, when thou saw a thief, then thou consent with him and had been partakers with the adulterers. So, how do we consent? I I think most of us here would say, "Well, I you know, somebody's stealing something. I'm not going to say that's okay." But how do we consent with that?

How do we how do we do that? I I think one way is vicariously. Vicariously. Go to Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1 and verses 18 through verse 28-32. Romans chapter 1 and beginning with verse number 28. Romans 1:28. Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, going back to what we just said, they left God behind. They put him behind their back. They forgot all about him. They didn't carry it with them in their daily lives. And uh God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignancy, whisperers.

By the way, uh some of these words are not as familiar to us. And when you get a list like this, always take a look at what those words mean. But backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient parents, without understanding, covenant breakers without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. And then in verse number 32, who knowing the judgment of God that they which conit commits such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them do that. You know we some Christians do the same thing the world does. We go out drinking like the world.

We go out crowousing like the world. We go out and do all the things the world's doing. But a lot of Christians maybe they don't do that. But what they do is they do it vicariously. We'll watch a TV program where there's a bunch of sin in there and we're okay with that. will will you know see here you know laugh at a joke somebody tells at work even though we wouldn't say that joke we're we're vicariously enjoying the things of God with the internet today and with videos today I think this is one of the bigger dangers we as Christians face is that vicarious sin we would never do it but we take pleasure in those that do and then um look at Matthew chapter 5 Matthew chapter 5 and verses 21-22.

Matthew 5, beginning verse 21. You've heard there was said that by them of old time, thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, "Rack us shall be in danger of the council. But whosoever shall say, thou fool shall be in danger of hellfire." And then verses 27 and 28, you've heard it said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you that you that whosoever lookth on a woman to lust after her, commit adultery with her already his heart.

And and we we participate in our thoughts. We would never actually go out and commit adultery, but we'll look at women and in magazines or on TV or on the internet or out in public. We'll look at them with thought wrong thoughts in our heart. We would never commit murder, but we we we get that anger and that bitterness where we do it in our mind. And and so we we consent with the sin of adulterers. We consent with the sin of thieves. We vicariously participate in these and we we make it is a part of our thinking, our process in that way. And I think that's one of the greatest dangers of today's society is because it is so prevalent out there on the internet, on videos, and other media, social media, and so on that we we allow it into our lives and it's so easy to do that.

Okay, going back to um uh what he says there. He says uh he says when thou saw as a thief, then thou consess with him and had been a partaker with adulterers. And so how are we our partaker? Let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 22. 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse number 22. lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of another man's sin, keep thyself pure. And so being a partaker of another man's sin, it's when we when we tolerate it, when we allow it, when we we don't condemn it, uh recently uh a preacher that I know of, it was well-known preacher, did a lot of preaching at youth conferences and other places.

It turns out that he uh uh done some very wicked things. Um and uh and and nobody knew it. Uh but now that we know it, we can't be a partaker of that. We've got to condemn it. We've got to say this is not acceptable. This not something that we're going to tolerate. And for too long, Christians have kind of weaked at these things and we've kind of let it go like something is okay and it's not. And we've got to stand up and say this is wrong. And and we've got to be clear on that. And then go over to 1 John chapter 2 and verses 10 11. 1 John chapter 2 and:es 10 and 11. 1 John 2101. He that loveth his brother abides in light and there's not occasion of stumbling him.

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth because the darkness hath uh blinded his eyes. And and so we we we're not we're not helping when we don't point it out. When you see a brother that's committed sin, you have a responsibility to go and say, "This is wrong." Not to tolerate it, not to ignore it, uh but to confront them with it and and and looking at that. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 5. 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and verses 1 and two. is reported commonly there's fornication among you and such fornication is not much so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his father's wife and you are puffed up and if not

rather mourned that he that hath done his deed this deed might be taken away from among you and then verses 9- 11 I wrote into an epistle not to company with fornicators and not all together with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with idolattors for then you must need to go out of this world but now I have written unto you not to keep company. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetousness or an adult idoltor or a or drunkard or extortioner would such one know not to eat. For so Paul is saying here listen there was a there was a man in the church that was committing adultery with his stepmother.

I I mean that's even something that the world would say is wrong. And uh and and yet the Christians were being tolerant of they were acting like it's no big deal. and and he said, "No, you've got to deal with this. You got to confront this. You can't just act like it's okay." And um he said, "Listen, you live in a world of sin." And and we can't go out of this world. We can't go and become monks and hide out from it where, you know, you got people at work and you got, you know, you face all this around you and and you're part of that world and you you deal with it. But when a when a brother brings it into the church, it it's wrong.

And and you've got to confront that. You got to stand up to that. Now, obviously, God can forgive and and you know, he forgave David and God, you know, tells us that he'll forgive our sins, but that doesn't mean it's okay. And we have to confront that. And we have to deal with that openly and honestly. And uh and and a lot of times we as Christians, we don't want to do that. We don't want to confront our brother. We don't want to confront somebody about what they're doing. And and we need to be willing to do that. And so don't listen to and and you know when when people are discussing sin they're talking about don't don't be a part of it.

You know in Psalms it talks about the the the standeth not in the way of sinners nor s the scourful nor uh walketh not I quote it all the time and I can't do it right now. Let me get there. Psalms chapter 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel ungodly nor standeth the way of sinners nor sit as he is scornful. And and what happens is when we're standing and we we stand there with somebody, we're agree we're we're putting ourselves in a place of agreeing with them. By standing by them, I'm putting that I'm putting myself in a place of agreeing with them. And and and so if somebody's telling a dirty joke and you just stand there, even if you know, you don't laugh and you don't but you're still supporting that.

and he said, "Listen, this is not what you should be doing, and you need to make sure that you're taking a stand to not listen to and and not to ignore it. When there's wrong, you got to speak up and say, "That's wrong." And uh and sometimes that's done in private and sometimes it's done in a public way. Uh with this situation, with this pastor, it has to be very public and very clear that we are not tolerant of this and uh this is not acceptable behavior. And uh yes, God can forgive him, but that doesn't mean it's okay what he did. And it doesn't mean okay for him to, you know, say, "Okay, I'm I'm changed.

I'm going come back." We've got to deal with that. And so, it's important to do that. Then letter F, how do we give our mouths to evil? Going back to Psalms 50 and:es 19 and 20, thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frame deceit. Thou citest and speakest against thy brother. thou slandest thine own mother's son. So how do we give our our mouth to evil? Now I want to point out some of his wording here. He he says, I give my mouth to evil and thy tongue frame deceit. And and what I think that idea that frame deceit is we we we build this lie to kind of box in and hide what's wrong. And and and and that's what happens so often.

And and so he says, listen, you're not to do that. Look at James chapter 1 and verse number 26. James chapter 1 and verse number 26. James 1:26. If any man among you seem to be religious and brideth not his tongue, but deceive his own heart, the man's religion is vain. You got to be you got to be able to control what you say. Uh it's not only controlling your thoughts, but it's also controlling what your mouth says. And don't give your mouth over to evil. Um, there are many other references in Psalms about our mouth and our tongue. Let's go back there and take a look at some of these. Psalms chapter 10 and verse number 7.

Psalms chapter 10 and verse number seven. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity. So the they're talking about your tongue and cursing, deceit, lies, fraud, uh mischief and vanity. And then look at Psalms chapter 19 and verse number 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in my sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Look at Psalms chapter 36 and verse number three. Psalms 36 and:e3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. he had left off to be wise and to do good. Uh he just he's no longer got it saying the good things.

He left that off. He's cut that out. And now you can't trust anything that comes out of his mouth. And then Psalms chapter 52 and verse number two. Psalms 52 and verse number two. Thy tongue devisth mischief like a sharp razor workketh deceitfully. And and so again, it's it's it's have not having a mouth of evil. And we live in a society of that way today where we have that. And it's even among Christians we see that. And I think one of the things that is one of the easy to talk about here is cursing. Let's go back to James chapter 3. James chapter 3. James 3 8-12. James 3 8-12. But the tongue can no man tame tame.

It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. You got to keep your mind in gear if you want to control your tongue or you're going to say the wrong things. Therefore, there would bless God, even the father, and there would curse we men which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing, my brethren, these things ought not to be so. And um and doth a fountain sent forth in the same place sweet water and and uh bitter. Can the fig tree of my brethren be bare olive berries either a vine fig so no man can so no fountain both yield salt water and fresh one of the things that I distresses me so often as Christians I remember we had a Christian here he was

a NCO and he told me pastor I can't get my men to do anything unless I curse at them and I said then you got a problem because they're not listening to you if you have to use a curse word to get them to listen then you know this is one of the things I'm teaching a child trained class with your children. One of the problems we deal with our children is this is we teach them they don't have to listen to us. We teach them unless I say it five times, you don't have to listen. We teach them unless I say it with a certain tone of voice, you don't have to listen. And we get frustrated with them. I'm not going to tell you again.

And they know that you're going to tell them again. They know that you're they don't have to obey yet because it's not been certain tone of voice. It's not been a certain point you come to. you you haven't got mad enough and threatened them enough and and and you've taught them they don't have to listen and and and you it should be that you can speak in a in a straightforward voice. You don't have to raise your voice. You don't have to emphasize it because that's what swear words. Swear words are empty words. They're really they're they're of no value. You could say the exact same thing without swear word and probably say it more competently.

Most people that swear have a very limited vocabulary and so that they resort to swearing because they don't know what else to say and uh and and they're there are words that are thrown in there and don't need to be and are just saying that you have lost control that you are not intelligent enough to say what what needs to be said without throwing those swear words in there that you you are not able to communicate well and and so when we do cursing that's what happens with it and you know as Christians uh there's many Christians I know that do swear outside the church and uh and and doing that and uh that's a that's a sad testimony in that way.

Um you know our young people are in this with now and one of the things you want to remember is you can't say it in front of your mom then you shouldn't be saying it. I I remember one time as a teenager, I I got called out by someone. I heard me swearing. They told my mom and my mom said, "Tell me the word you said." And I said, "I don't want to say that, Mom." And uh you know, if I couldn't say in front of her, I shouldn't be saying anywhere else as well. It it just they're not necessary. They're not helpful. And as Christians, by the way, let me challenge you. What we do as Christians, we say we say the same thing just in a nicer with nicer words.

We take the same swear words and we just change them to shoot to dang to darn you know we we you know instead of saying and we swear we use God you know oh my god you know and and those are still the same thing and and we have to be careful of that. I don't want to become picky and I think you can come be overcome become more too picky but at the same time we we need to be careful that we're just not substituting another word for the same thing. Cursing is a sign of a lack of intelligence. It's a sign of a lack of ability to communicate. It's a sign of lack of control. Uh you know, and and and you know, it's just that way.

And and a lot of times people aren't even aware of I remember working I I worked at a feed mill delivering feed for farmers and the guy that was in charge of me working there. Uh he just would swear all the time. In fact, I one time I had nothing else to do. So I got out a piece of paper and I put a little mark on the paper every time he said a swear word. I figured out every fourth word came out of his mouth was a swear word. And when I showed that to him later on, he said, "No, that's not true." And uh he didn't even realize he was doing it. And and and the Bible said, "Listen, you don't need to use that kind of language.

If you can't communicate without swear words, there's something wrong with you. And if you can't get people to listen or do what you want without swearing at them, there's something wrong with you. It's not the other person's problem. It's your problem. And you got to deal with that." And then go to Proverbs chapter 26 and verse number 22. Proverbs 26 and verse number 22. The words of the tail bearer are his wounds and they go down the innermost parts of the belly. And and so gossip is another thing that comes out of our mouth. Uh and as Christians, we like to do spiritual gossip. Brother, we need to pray for so and so because of and we go into the details of all the things they're doing wrong.

And uh we spiritualize our gossip and and God says, "Listen, don't be a tail bearer. Don't be a gossip." Uh and and you know, if there's a problem with somebody, what we do instead of going to that person like we talked about before and saying, "Listen, what you're doing is wrong." What we do is we go to everybody else about them. And that's not going to help the situation. I I like what Pastor Anger, the pastor I worked on for many years, used to say, and he says, "If you're not part of the problem, you're not part of the solution, then don't be part of it. you you don't need to be talking about it if you're not part of the problem or part of the solution.

If you're not willing to go to that person and say, "Listen, there's a problem here. I've got a concern here." Don't go to other people about them. The only one you should be talking to about them is to the Lord. And and so we have this this struggle with evil because the gossip and the slander coming out of our mouth. And then Ephesians chapter 4 and verse number 31. Ephesians 4. And verse number 31, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Um the slander, the the bitterness, the anger that comes out. Um so often we become bitter and notice the progression here.

You know the bitterness leads to wrath and then la wrath leads to anger and anger leads to clamor which is just uh making a bunch of noise about it and then evil speaking it just it just builds up with that malice and and it tra everything's wrong. You know you show me a complainer and I'll show you somebody's not right with the Lord. You don't need to be complaining. Show me a whiner, they're not right with the Lord. When you speak those words of bitterness or anger, you speak words of whining or complaining, know what you're doing. You're giving life to that. You know, sometimes you can't always control the thoughts in your mind.

But when you say it out loud or you even say it out loud in your mind, what you're doing is you're giving life to it. And and so don't don't let that happen. I find that when I say something, then it becomes more reinforced to me. Then it's like I hear it out loud, even myself saying it, then it must be true. And you just don't need to be doing that. You know, there's a time to talk about a problem. If you got a problem with somebody, go talk to them about that problem. But don't whine. Don't complain. Don't become bitter and angry in dealing with that. And and so to not give our mouth over to evil.

Then going back to Psalm chapter 50, it says thou um in Psalm chapter 50 and verse number 19, thou givest thy mouth to evil, thy tongue frame deceit, and thou citest and speakest against thy brother. Thou slanders thy own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence. So why did God keep silence? And he says, I thoughtest that I was altogether such as one as thyself because I didn't say anything. But I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. So let's look at second Peter chapter 3 again. Second Peter chapter 3. Second Peter 3 and:es 8 and 9. But beloved, be not ignorant as one thing that one day is with the Lord is a thousand years and a thousand years is one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. Some men count slackness, but is long-suffering dust not one that it should perish but all should come to repentance. Sometimes God keeps his silence because he wants to give an opportunity for you to get it right. And and God is silent saying, "Listen, uh you need to think about this. You need to see what's going on here and and to deal with that." And then go over to um Isaiah verse 15 here and in First Peter. I closed my Bible too quickly. Let's go to second Peter chapter 3 and verse number 15. 2 Peter 3:15. and account that the long-suffering Lord is salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you.

You know God is saying listen I'm silent not because I'm okay with this. I'm silent because you need to stop and think about this. I'm giving you an opportunity to get this right. And then go over to Isaiah chapter 57 and verse number 11. Isaiah chapter 57 and verse number 11. and of whom thou hast uh thou hast thou been afraid or feared that thou hast lied and hast not remembered me nor laid it into thy heart? Have not I held my peace even of old and thou fears me not. You know, God say, "Listen, I'm giving you an opportunity." A lot of times, you know, you young people think your parents do that with you is they're not saying anything because they want you to figure this out.

Because once they say anything, it's no longer you you figured it out. And so, he said, "Listen, I'm silent." Not because I'm okay with this. I'm silent because I'm giving you the opportunity to get this right. And then go over to Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and verse 11. Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and verse 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. You know, sometimes we think, well, nothing happened, so it's okay. But we have to realize that there's times where God said, "Listen, you got an opportunity or to get this fixed."

And just because I didn't judge it right away doesn't mean it's okay what you're doing. And so often we as Christians take that attitude, well, I didn't get any trouble for this, so it must be okay. And I got away with it. And he's saying, listen, don't take my silence as endorsement of what you're doing. And and so he says, "Listen, these things have I done hast thou done, and I kept by silence, that thou thou uh thou thoughtest that I was altogether such as one as thyself?" But I will reprove thee, and set them in order for thy eyes. There comes a point where God says, "Listen, this has got to be taken care of."

And and and we so often we think that God is like us, and he's not. And we've got to realize that God deals with us and we got to understand how God deals with us and that this is not okay and that we need to deal with that. So how do we make God like ourselves? We we kind of paint him in our own image. We kind of think that he thinks like I do and he acts like I do and it's not how God is. And so he says in verse 21 that I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. Let's go over to Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20 and beginning with verse number 10 down through verse 15.

And the devil that had deceived them was cast in the lake of fire and brimstone where the uh beasts and the false prophets are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. And I saw a great white throne and and on him that sat from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God. And the books were open. And which is and another book was open, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it.

And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them that they were and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. There there's going to come a a judgment in the end. For the unsaved is the great white throne judgment described here. For the Christian is the judgment seat of Christ. We will be judged. But also when God tells us that I'll set in order all these things at that point. But he's also saying listen just because you think you get away with you're not.

and you need to stop and realize that they're going to pay the consequence. I got my two grandkids here and um there's times where they'll do something wrong and I won't say anything and and because I want them to figure this out. I want them to see they know what I've I've already told them what's the right thing to do and they've kind of left that behind. They put it behind them and I ignoring that and I said, "Listen, you've got to pay attention to you. You got to deal with this." And and and it goes and talks about that aspect of it. And so sometimes I sit back and I just wait to see. You know, now there's times, again, I'll talk about this in the child's dream class.

I think many times we as parents, we let our kids get away with this and deal it right then. And that's where we cause a lot of our trouble. And and God will deal with us many times right away, immediately. But there's times he said, "Listen, you got to get this right." And then because they don't, they end up have facing higher consequences. my my son Joshua, you know, I'll take away his his games or take away his books or take away his phone because he didn't do what I was doing. And and and just because I didn't say anything doesn't mean it was okay. And so the judgment, there's going to be a a judgment.

There's going to be a time when it's going to be dealt with. And then you look at verses 22 and 23. Now consider this ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, there be none to deliver. who so offerth praise glorifies me and to him that orders his conversation right will I show the salvation of God to consider means to think about to meditate and understand what this psalm is doing is God is saying listen I'm I'm God that's where he starts out with in the beginning of Psalms and listen he he talks about all the things that he does and he says listen it's not about your sacrifices it's not just about you going through all these rituals and you're going to church and you're doing this and giving your offering, all the rest of these things.

He says, "What you've done is you've you've built this religion where where you're you're leaving me behind." And he says, "Listen, you've got to stop and think about it. You got to understand what you're doing here." And that's what he's trying to tell us here in Psalms chapter 50. And and and so he says, "Listen, you've forgotten me." And so, how have we forgotten by God? We're so busy doing, we forget who we're doing it for. And that's what happens a lot as Christians. We get so busy serving the Lord. We get so busy doing all the right things, we're not doing it for the right reasons. It goes back to what I talked about on Sunday in the message.

You can be good and you can be right, but it's better to be good and right. To do the right things for the right reason. And so often we forget that. Now he says that in verse number 22, it sounds pretty harsh. Now consider ye that forgive God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. And so again, if you got a good study Bible, you might have a cross reference for this verse in Psalms chapter 7 and verse number two. Psalms chapter 7 and verse number two. Psalm 7:2, "Lest he tear my soul like a lion rend it to pieces while there's none to deliver." And and and he said, "Listen you before it's too late."

Remember what it says in in James, like a roaring lion, the devil walk about seeking may devour. And we got to realize that there comes a point of no return. And in Corinthians, it talks about that we can make a way of escape. But the problem is so often we miss our exit. we miss that opportunity and and and then it's too late. And that's what he's saying here. Listen, there's going to come a point where you're gonna cross that line and then I have no choice. This the consequences are going to happen. You know, you got away with it once, twice, three times maybe, but sooner or later this is going to happen and you need to be ready for that.

You understand that? And and so we need to understand that there's a a line that we can cross and um and and so does there come a point of no deliverance? Let's look at 1 John chapter 5 and verse number 16. 1 John chapter 5 and verse number 16. 1 John 5:16. If a man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I do not say that he shall pray for it. A lot of people get confused about different things you and and in the gospel talks about it they'll turn over reprobate mind if you commit the unforgivable sin.

Now the unforgivable sin is when you have heard the gospel, you have understood the gospel and you had the opportunity to get saved and yet you reject it again and again and again and you said I don't want anything to do with God. Uh unforgivable sin cannot be committed by a Christian. If you're saved, you cannot commit that sin. It's by those that what what Jesus was referring to was the religious leaders of that day. These are people that knew the Bible. They knew the word of God. They knew what was right and they rejected it and they rejected God. And it's a clear rejection of the Lord. And there can come a point where I believe there can come a point where a person can no longer be saved.

I believe there can come a point where they cross that line and God will turn them over a reprobate mind and harden their hearts and they're no longer get saved. God said, "Okay, I've I've given you opportunity after opportunity and and you've chosen not to do that." This I think a lot of times as kids that grow up in a a church, they hear the gospel, they go to Christian schools, they they've got all the teaching, then they reject that. But here in First John, he's talking about a sin unto death. And that's something a Christian can commit. And this is the point where God says, you know what, uh, I'm done with you.

We we read about in Corinthians about the man who's committing adultery, his stepmother. And Paul in that passage said, "Listen, you need to turn them over to the Lord for the destruction of flesh, for the saving of the soul." And and the idea of that verse is there comes a point even as a Christian where God can say, "You know what? I'm done. I I'm done talking to you. I'm done trying to deal with you. You're going to come home now." And we come home early. You know, we live on the second floor of our apartment and when the kids are out in the backyard playing, uh, they might be doing something.

They start arguing or fighting. I'll say, "Listen, you need to behave or you're going to have to come upstairs." And uh and I'll give them maybe a couple opportunities of that and and then I'll just get out there and I'll say, "Get up here now." And I think there's a point where God looks at Christian says, "I'm I'm done with this and you're going to come now." And there's also a point for Christians where they can uh they have to face the consequences. And and that's the thing with consequences. They don't always happen immediately. And sometimes it be the first time and sometimes it can be 10 times down the road.

You can drive drunk 10 times and not get caught. But it's that 10th time you do get caught. And we face those consequences. Look at Jeremiah chapter 27 and verse number 16. Jeremiah chapter 27 and verse number 16. Jeremiah 27 16. Wait there. Yeah. 27:16. Also, I spake to the priests and to all his people, saying, "Thus sayeth the Lord, hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon, for they prophesy a lie unto you." There comes a point where, you know, you're not going to listen anymore.

You're not going to hear what needs to be said. There comes a point of no deliverance. And then going back to Psalms chapter 23 chapter 50 verse 23 it says whosoever offers praise glorifies me and him that orderth his conversation a right while I show the salvation of God. Look at verses number 8 through13. He talks about this. I don't want your sacrifices what I wanted you. Verse 14, offer unto God thank these giving and pay your vows. Listen, get it right. Get it right. Deal with it. Instead of having that cursing and that slander and gossip coming out of your mouth, let's have praise and worship coming out of your mouth.

That's where you want. That's what you want to give life to. When you praise God, when you worship God and you call out glory to his name, you're giving life to that. And that's what he wants us to give life to. And to order our conversation is the idea uh in Ephesians 5:15. We'll end with this one. Ephesians 5 and verse number 15. Ephesians 5:15. The Bible says, "See that she walks circum circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." Is the idea of being circumc I want to walk in the way the Lord wants me to walk. And and so as Psalm 50 says, "Listen, I'm God and and I am the one that you should be worshiping. It's not about just bringing sacrifices. These are not wrong to do, but it's about the sacrifice of praise. It's about sacrifice of worship. Don't let the wrong things come out of your mouth. Don't put me behind you. But listen, follow me. Because if you do the wrong things, you're going to be judged for that. But if you do the right things, that's where I'm going to bless