When Faith Wobbles but God Holds On Week 8

All right, great. Great. So, we've got some really seasoned, knowledgeable people about Psalm 73. But I I tell you, one of the reasons why I picked this psalm, you know, this this whole time, pastor's been doing uh covering the Psalms and uh Pastor Frank actually did Psalm two. And as I was thinking and praying about what Psalm to to cover, Psalm 73 came up. And the title of of what I've entitled in this study is when faith wobbles but God holds on. When faith wobbles but God holds on. You know we as Christians we we mess up a lot, right? I mean we we slip a lot too. That's what I mean by wobbling.

You know there are times where we're going to slip but understand that the Lord holds on. So Psalm 73 is written by Asaf, a worship leader appointed by David. And you can you can read more about him in 1 Chronicles uh 16:4-7. But this psalm reminds us that strong faith does not prevent deep struggle. Let me say again, strong faith, you may be very very faithful, but that does not negate you from struggling. Everybody will struggle. Okay. uh Nahm 17 if you turn there Nahhem uh 1:7 the Lord the the verse says the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him you know the thing is you look out there and there's so many people that you think they trust the Lord but their trust is as little as their faith as well but those who are faithful in in serving the Lord and knowing him as their lord and savior.

Guess what? We're not exempt from struggling. Okay? Asking questions as well is not uh the opposite of faith. As a matter of fact, as faithful believers, we ought to be asking questions. Okay? We ought to be asking questions as well. Uh turn to Psalms 42. The book the book of Psalms 42. Let me turn there. Verse 11. The Bible says, "Why art thou cast down, oh my soul, and why art thou disqued within me? Hope thou in God for all for I shall yet praise him. Who is the health of my countenance, my God?" You know, it's it's not wrong to ask questions to ask God questions. As a matter of fact, I think sometimes it's really important for us to ask questions so that God knows that we don't understand certain things, but it's it kind of gets us thinking as well.

And then the Lord will answer in different ways as well. And then worship gives us perspective, not just music. I mean, I I'm not putting down our worship team up here every Sunday. They're up here singing. Uh but sometimes we lose the the purpose of worship that we are worshiping the Lord and we're into the music, we're into the songs but we're not into worshiping. Our heart is not in the right place. Worship gives us perspective but uh not just music. So turn to 7 uh Psalm 77. Psalm 77. Verse 13. 77:13. Thy way, oh God, is in thee sanctuary. Who is so great a God as our God. There's something about when you come into the sanctuary of the Lord.

You know, we come into God's house on Sundays. We come in the at the holy place where he's at and we worship him. So when we worship him, hopefully you have the right perspective on why you're worshiping. But as we go into covering this Psalm 73, the question that really is is asked because of this psalm is if God is good, why does sometime why does life sometimes seem to work better for those who ignore him? I don't know if how much of you are really familiar with the island, but Hawaii Kai, Hawaii, Lower Ridge, these are the rich sections of real estate, really expensive real estate. And and from, you know, sometimes I would drive by these really expensive houses.

It's in the millions, folks. And in the garage, no, they're not Honda Accords. They're Lamborghinis, Ferraris. I mean they are loaded. But one thing I know about these folks, not all of them, but some of them or most of them, they ignore God. They ignore God. So ASAP is starting to question, why are these people who ignore God still prosper? Have you ever asked that question or wondered about that? This psalm will hopefully if you if you some somewhere in the back of your mind kind of thinking about this will give you the right perspective about who God is. Turn to Job chapter 21. Job 21 verse 7.

Job 21 verse 7. And the Bible says, "Wherefore do the wicked live? Become old. Ye are mighty in power." And then Jeremiah 12:1. Jeremiah 12:1. Righteous art thou, oh Lord. When I plead with thee, yet I let me walk with thee. uh you let me talk with thee of thy judgments, where where um wherefore the the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all the happy that deal very treacherously? Questions about why is it that the evil folks, the non-believers, why are they prospering? So that's the main question. is God. If God is good, why does life sometimes seem to work better for those who ignore him?

And as we look at this, break down this Psalm 73, the Psalms actually flows in three different parts. Okay, the first one, it starts off with confusion. Why do the wicked prosper? And then the second part, it flows right into the correction of that perspective. God's presence changes perspective. And then my the final part which is my favorite of this psalm is confidence. God himself is the reward. A lot of times when we looking at all these different things that are happening in the worldly goods, we don't realize that we have the ultimate reward and that is our Lord, our God, our savior. So let's break this down.

this first part, confusion when when life feels unfair. And we see that in verse one. In verse one of our passage, Psalm 73, the Bible says, "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Asaf starts with something that he already believes, okay? that he really believed that God is a good God even though his feelings are struggling at this time. Okay, turn to Psalms 34:6. Psalms 34:6. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. And then um well we already did that. Nahhem. So the the point is faith often begins with truth before emotions catch up.

Let me say it again. Faith normally begins with the truth of the Lord and then our emotions start to come and catch up and sometimes it messes us up and we start to stumble. Okay. Verse two. But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well and I slipped. Asaf did not stop believing, but he almost fell. He almost fell. Um, faith usually slips first in our thoughts and then not our actions. So when we first slip, where does it start? up here, our thoughts. And some some people believe that as long as you don't act out your thought, you're good. But that's not what our Lord Christ Jesus says.

When we think it, we're already guilty. Okay? When we think it, we're already guilty. Verse three, for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the world. As we begin to dissect this psalm, we realize that the real issue is envy. Asap was envious. The real struggle is envy, not unbelief. He he believes the truth of God but as the emotions catch up then he becomes envious. Okay. Uh go to Proverbs 23:17. Proverbs 23:17. Let thine let not thine heart envy sinners, but be thou of the fear be thou in the fear of the Lord all day long. Drop envious. Not a good thing. You're better off with your heart being with the Lord.

How about Psalms 37:1? Fret not thyself because of evildoers neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. Sometimes we so get we get caught up in in life that we're starting to look at others around us comparing and and being envious okay or worrying about minor things. So comparing our lives to others can lead to discouragement. Sometimes you get discouraged when you're comparing to others. Oh, the Joneses have so and so and I don't have it. Okay. When you compare with others, it just sets you up for more discouragement. Let's see verse four and five. For there are no bends or pain in their death, but their their strength is firm.

They are not in trouble as others, neither are they plagued like other men. From this psalmist, his perspective, the wicked seem to live without trouble and die without pain. You know the the the reason why this is I mean ASAP is only seeing what supports his discouragement. You know when our emotions get caught up and we start thinking or we conclude the wrong way what we see we try to pick up things that support the discouragement because we want to be discouraged. Yeah. Be careful of that. Be careful of that. Let's look at verse 9 uh 6-9. Therefore, pride compassed them about as a chain. Violence cover covered them as a garment.

Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They set the mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. You know, one thing we noted about these evil dod doers, the wicked ones, pride. Pride surrounds the wicked like a chain around their neck. Go to Proverbs 16:18. Proverbs 16:18. You all know this, right? Pride goeth before destruction and a hotty uh spirit before a fall. I tell you time and time again. I'm not a as a believer, as a pastor, I'm not exempt from this pride from every so often pride gets in the way and then you start to slip, start to wobble.

Pay attention to your pride. What we say reveals what is in our heart. Psalms 12. Go to Psalms 12. Psalms 12 3-4. The Lord shall cut off all the flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things. Who have said with uh our tongue, we will prevail. Our lips our own are our own who is Lord over us. Prosperity, let me say this again. Prosperity without accountability leads to arrogance. Prosperity without without accountability to the Lord leads to arrogance. You started to think, you know, I'm prospering because it's due to my own abilities. I got this good job, good paying job. I I got this nice house.

I bought I I bought this car. I'm I'm doing it. The next thing you know, you're pretty arrogant. Arrogant. Arrogant before believers, before others, arrogant before our Lord. To prosper without accountability leads to arrogance. I tell you in the past when I was growing up before I got saved I was into cars and I thought cars actually does kind of gives you the status and you can be arrogant if you're if you're in a four-wheel drive all fixed up and high and stuff like that. You know what I drive today and I love it? A Honda Accord. a Honda Accord because you know what? I don't want to get too fancy in the vehicles because I know I've been there before.

Okay, I've been there before. Prosperity without accountability leads to arrogance. Now, let's look at verse 10 to 12. It says verse 10, therefore his people return hither and waters of a folk are rung out of the out to them and they say, "How did God know?" And is and is there acknowledge uh knowledge in the po in then the most high? Behold these are the are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase riches. They increase riches. Other people become confused and beginning to question God. Lord, what's happening? I've been I've been serving you and all these others who are totally ignoring you.

What's happening? They're they're getting all the blessings and they start asking does God really know what's happening? Go to verse 13 to 14. Verily I say verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued and chasened every morning. These verses, our psalmist is starting to ask dangerous a dangerous question. What was the point of living right? Starting to question God. Lord, what was the point of living right? I live right. I serve you. I do. I obey your your commandments, your word, but I don't prosper. That's a dangerous question.

That's a very dangerous question. Go to Malachi uh 3:14. Malachi 3:14. Ye have said it it is vain to serve God. And what profit is it that that we have kept his ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? This type of questioning is not new, folks. It's not new. It is natural that we in our evil ways can question these when we start comparing to others, okay? And and seeing their blessings or their their riches and saying, "Lord, what is happening?" When this discouragement can make obedience feel worthless. When you are comparing yourselves, you're looking at all the riches, everybody having a good time, and you're here obeying the Lord.

And it seems like it's worthless. It seems like it's worthless. Go to Hebrews 12:3. Hebrews 12:3. For consider him that endures such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your own minds. Contradiction, hostility. when you're discouraged. Verse 15, if I say I will speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. You know the thing about Asaf, he started questioning all these things. Is is is my obedience worth it? Why is everybody else? But his thoughts, what he did right, he he kept it in. He kept it in. If I say I will speak, thus behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

Talking to God, Asaf chooses to not to spread his doubt. Go to Romans chapter 14 verse 13. Romans 14:13. In Romans 14:13, the Bible says, "Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." You know the the thing about having these discouragements and and having to started to kind of question the Lord, it may not impact you, but when you say that aloud, you can actually be discouraging your fellow brothers and sisters. So your action is it doesn't always affect you. You know, it it does, but we don't think about how our actions are impacting our fellow brothers and sisters.

Mature faith knows when to be silent for the sake of others. Mature faith knows when to be silent for the sake of others. Sometimes you just want to blurt it out what you're feeling or what you're thinking. I mean, you know, you're like discouraged and you want to say something. But if you're mature in faith, be silent because you don't want to cause your brother, fellow brothers and sisters to fall. Verse 16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. Trying to answer eternal questions with human thinking alone was too painful for this psalmist. Go to Ecclesiastes 8:17. Ecclesiastes 8:1 17. Then I behel beheld all the work of God that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Because though a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it. Yet uh yay further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he uh not be able to find it. And then go to um where is my Isaiah 55. Go to Isaiah 55.