1
00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,880
Thank you, Joe, for those kind 
words. 

2
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,480
Good evening, everyone. 
Please turn with me in your 

3
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,720
Bibles to Psalm chapter 73. 
In the previous Sunday family 

4
00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,960
nights, we've been studying in 
the Book of Psalm. 

5
00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,640
Summer of Psalms, I believe, was
the way that Pastor Jonah put 

6
00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,680
it. 
So in keeping with that, 

7
00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,320
although it's technically no 
longer summer, we'll be looking 

8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:35,800
at Psalm 73 tonight. 
Psalm 73 is a Psalm of Asaph. 

9
00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,480
Asaph begins by lamenting how 
the wicked seemed to prosper. 

10
00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,480
He struggles to reconcile the 
ideas of evil people thriving in

11
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:45,200
God's faithfulness to his 
people. 

12
00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,560
Asaph was a musician and a 
prophet in the time of King 

13
00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,640
David, so he no doubt knew of 
the faithfulness of God. 

14
00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,760
But in this Psalm, his writings 
show a feeling that is common 

15
00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,960
for many Christians. 
And that is, why do evil people 

16
00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,200
seem to have less problems than 
the godly? 

17
00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,760
But he doesn't remain there. 
He moves on to see the flaws in 

18
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,880
that way of thinking and the 
ultimate fate of the evil doers.

19
00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,200
And so with that, let's read 
Psalm 73 and I'll be going 

20
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,840
through the whole chapter. 
Truly, God is good to Israel, to

21
00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,520
those who are pure in heart. 
But As for me, my feet had 

22
00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,800
almost stumbled, my steps had 
nearly slept. 

23
00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:22,360
For I was envious of the 
arrogant when I saw the 

24
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,200
prosperity of the wicked. 
For they have no pangs until 

25
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,400
death. 
Their bodies are fat and sleek. 

26
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:29,480
They are not in trouble as 
others are. 

27
00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:31,600
They are not stricken like the 
rest of mankind. 

28
00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:33,680
Therefore pride is their 
necklace. 

29
00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,440
Violence covers them as a 
garment. 

30
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,520
Their eyes swell out through 
fatness. 

31
00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:39,360
Their hearts overflow with 
follies. 

32
00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,680
They scoff and speak with malice
lawfully. 

33
00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,640
They threaten oppression. 
They set their mouths against 

34
00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,800
the heavens and their tongue 
stretch through the earth. 

35
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,160
Therefore His people turn back 
to them and find no fault in 

36
00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,520
them. 
And they say, How can God know? 

37
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,520
Is there a knowledge in the Most
High? 

38
00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,680
Behold, these are the wicked. 
Always at ease they increase in 

39
00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,520
riches. 
All in vain have I kept my heart

40
00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,720
clean and washed my hands and 
innocence. 

41
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,480
For all day long I've been 
stricken and rebuked every 

42
00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,440
morning. 
If I had said I will speak thus,

43
00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,600
I would have betrayed the 
generation of your children. 

44
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,360
But when I thought how to 
understand this, it seemed to me

45
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,920
a wearisome task, until I went 
into the sanctuary of God. 

46
00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,600
Then I discerned their end. 
Truly. 

47
00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,960
You set them in slippery places,
You make them fall to ruin. 

48
00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,600
How they are destroyed in a 
moment, swept away utterly by 

49
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,360
terrors like a dream when one 
awakes. 

50
00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,320
Oh Lord, when you rouse 
yourself, you despise them as 

51
00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,160
phantoms. 
When my soul was embittered, 

52
00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,040
when I was pricked in heart, I 
was brutish and ignorant. 

53
00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,760
I was like a beast toward you. 
Nevertheless, I am continually 

54
00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,280
with you. 
You hold my right hand, You 

55
00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,400
guide me with your counsel, and 
afterward you will receive me to

56
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,000
glory. 
Whom have I in heaven but you? 

57
00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,760
And there is nothing on earth 
that I desire besides you. 

58
00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,160
My flesh and my heart may fail, 
but God is the strength of my 

59
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,040
heart and my portion forever. 
For behold, those who are far 

60
00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,840
from you shall perish. 
You put an end to everyone who 

61
00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,720
is unfaithful to you. 
But for me it is good to be near

62
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:11,600
God. 
I have made the Lord God my 

63
00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,200
refuge, that I may tell of all 
your works. 

64
00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,840
Let's pray as we ask God to lead
us through His Word. 

65
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,480
Lord, you are a just and 
merciful God. 

66
00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:24,600
Your ways are higher than our 
ways. 

67
00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:26,480
Your thoughts are higher than 
our thoughts. 

68
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,920
Thank you for the word that you 
have given to us by which we we 

69
00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:32,560
may learn and grow in You. 
Amen. 

70
00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:40,360
Located in Tanzania at 19,300 
feet above sea level, Mount 

71
00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,160
Kilimanjaro is the highest 
mountain in Africa. 

72
00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,760
Each year, thousands of 
experienced and beginner hikers 

73
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,720
attempt to approach the summit 
and ultimately reach it. 

74
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,800
Of those thousands of hikers, 
roughly 10 people each year die 

75
00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:56,520
while attempting to climb this 
mountain. 

76
00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,920
There's a YouTube channel called
Smarter Every Day run by a 

77
00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:03,680
former NASA engineer named 
Dustin Sandlin, and in one of 

78
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,480
his latest videos, he depicts 
his journey as him and his wife 

79
00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,240
and along with a small group of 
friends, attempt to climb Mount 

80
00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,240
Kilimanjaro. 
During the climb, he talks about

81
00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,200
and shows the different dangers 
that are present, namely the 

82
00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,279
rocky areas, the low oxygen 
levels, and the high winds. 

83
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,079
All these things can quickly 
turn your expedition into a life

84
00:04:22,079 --> 00:04:24,880
or death scenario. 
But beyond the physical dangers 

85
00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,040
present, Destin and many others 
online claim that one of the 

86
00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,800
hardest parts of the whole climb
is the mental portion. 

87
00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:33,840
Keeping your attitude up and not
caving into the fear and 

88
00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:37,640
exhaustion exhaustion that your 
body is feeling, especially when

89
00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,360
there's so much less oxygen 
present. 

90
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,000
At one point on the trip, about 
2000 feet away from the summit, 

91
00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,000
Destin shares how they saw a man
being rushed down the mountain, 

92
00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,240
barely conscious and clearly 
dying if the guides don't get 

93
00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,680
him down in time. 
He talks about the solemnness in

94
00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,320
the group as the reality of what
could be just went right by 

95
00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,160
them. 
But before the whole group loses

96
00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,880
all contentment, the guides and 
the porters leading Destin's 

97
00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,240
group break out into song. 
They start singing as a way to 

98
00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,040
refocus the group and prevent 
them from being paralyzed by 

99
00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,920
fear and from discontentment. 
The guides are keenly aware that

100
00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,400
if the mental focus is missing, 
then there's a high chance that 

101
00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,040
the whole group won't reach the 
summit. 

102
00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,080
And so there's a lot of 
similarities to everyday life 

103
00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,560
and analogies that we can draw 
from a story like this. 

104
00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,480
But what sticks out to me is how
easy it's to lose sight of the 

105
00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,760
path ahead of us and become 
discontent which can lead us 

106
00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,760
astray. 
Our mentality plays such a huge 

107
00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,360
role in the actions we take. 
We just celebrated Thanksgiving 

108
00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,920
last weekend and if you ask any 
mental health expert, they will 

109
00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,760
be quick to point out to the 
positive effects that being 

110
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,320
thankful can have in your life. 
But as believers, we already 

111
00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,000
know this. 
We know that we should be 

112
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,520
finding our contentment in the 
Lord and in His Word. 

113
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,240
But if we're honest with 
ourselves, that can be pretty 

114
00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,080
difficult. 
If we don't get the raise we 

115
00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:55,520
feel that we deserve, our 
contentment wanes. 

116
00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,480
If we come home after a long day
and the only thing ready to eat 

117
00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,880
is last week's leftovers, our 
contentment is in short supply. 

118
00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,040
They this is only worsened when 
we see the unbelievers doing 

119
00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,560
seemingly well. 
They drive the new vehicles. 

120
00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,320
They eat at the expense of 
restaurants. 

121
00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,080
Their families seem to get along
well. 

122
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,760
So as believers, we know it can 
be hard to find contentment in 

123
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,880
God, especially when we see 
unbelievers thriving. 

124
00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,600
As we look into Psalm 73, we see
the psalmist struggling with the

125
00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,040
same thing. 
But as he records his thought 

126
00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:27,880
process, we see a shift in 
thinking. 

127
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,600
He sees the path and the outcome
of those who find their 

128
00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,120
contentment only in worldly 
things and warns not to follow 

129
00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,120
down that path. 
Instead, because God is 

130
00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,760
faithful, we should find our 
contentment in Him. 

131
00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,440
So how do we find contentment in
the Lord? 

132
00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:47,000
Using the metaphor of climbing a
mountain alongside Psalm 73, I 

133
00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,160
want to lay out three actions 
that we can take to find and 

134
00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,600
keep contentment in the Lord. 
We need to focus on the path, be

135
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,360
aware of the dangers, and seek 
refuge in the Lord. 

136
00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,040
As believers, we need to focus 
on the path. 

137
00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,200
The path we need to focus on is 
the Word of God and who He is. 

138
00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,160
We focus on that path to avoid 
stumbling, avoid jealousy, and 

139
00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,160
avoid temptations. 
When we see the psalmist declare

140
00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,040
in verse one that truly God is 
good to Israel, to those who are

141
00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,520
pure in heart. 
He recognizes the attribute of 

142
00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,800
God, the goodness of God. 
Right from the beginning, God is

143
00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,240
good. 
Similar to the Acts prayer model

144
00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,760
that we've learned as a church, 
the psalmist begins with 

145
00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,960
adoration, glorifying God. 
But as we go to verse 2, we read

146
00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,440
what can be seen as a confession
of the thoughts he had. 

147
00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,680
He explains in verse 2. 
But As for me, my feet had 

148
00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,280
almost stumbled. 
My steps had nearly slipped. 

149
00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,240
Not focusing on the goodness of 
God can cause us to stumble if 

150
00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:42,480
we continue with the imagery of 
climbing a mountain. 

151
00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:45,440
It isn't the giant boulder that 
you see 100 meters ahead of you 

152
00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,480
that will cause you to stumble. 
It's the small stone right in 

153
00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,560
front of you that will cause you
to slip. 

154
00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,760
Focusing on the Word of God, 
then, allows us to see that God 

155
00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,920
remains faithful and prevents us
from stumbling. 

156
00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,800
We also need to focus on the 
path to avoid jealousy, he 

157
00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:01,840
writes in verse 3. 
For I was envious of the 

158
00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,160
arrogant when I saw the 
prosperity of the wicked. 

159
00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,960
When we take our eyes off the 
Word of God and turn to the 

160
00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,640
things of the world, it can be 
so easy to be jealous. 

161
00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,880
We stop seeing things in light 
of eternity, and instead we see 

162
00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,760
them for the here and now. 
Being a Christian can mean 

163
00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,640
saying no to opportunities that 
would bring prosperity but don't

164
00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,680
align with God's Word. 
It's difficult then to see the 

165
00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,840
arrogant and those who openly 
despise God become prosperous 

166
00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,640
while believers are struggling. 
It's tempting to resent God for 

167
00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,159
allowing this to happen, but we 
need to focus on the path to 

168
00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:36,039
avoid that temptation. 
Verses 4 to 12 highlight some of

169
00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:37,760
those temptations to be envious 
of. 

170
00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,159
They have no pangs until death. 
They're not in trouble as others

171
00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:42,760
are. 
Pride is their necklace. 

172
00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:44,600
Their hearts overflow with 
follies. 

173
00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,080
They scoff and speak malice. 
They threaten oppression. 

174
00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,240
These all culminate into a 
summary of how the psalmist sees

175
00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,560
the wicked in verse 12. 
Behold, these are the wicked, 

176
00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,000
always at ease. 
They increase in riches. 

177
00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,800
I relate to this verse because 
it seems so often to be the case

178
00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,480
that the wicked have no worries 
and they only increase in 

179
00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,640
prosperity. 
But if I or you only focus on 

180
00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,560
the supposed fortune of the 
wicked, it leads us to taking 

181
00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:12,240
our eyes off the path, the truth
of the scriptures and causes us 

182
00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:17,200
to lose contentment in God. 
A few weeks ago we went on a 

183
00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,240
family vacation to Tennessee. 
While driving from Gatlinburg to

184
00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:22,360
Pigeon Forge, there's a small 
tunnel that you have to go 

185
00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,520
through. 
Right before the entrance to the

186
00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,120
tunnel, there's this big yellow 
Rd. sign that reads No honking 

187
00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,360
in the tunnel. 
I think you can guess what I 

188
00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,280
wanted to do as soon as I got 
into that tunnel. 

189
00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:34,600
And I wasn't alone in that 
thinking. 

190
00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,200
Because once we were in that 
tunnel, you know what we heard a

191
00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,720
lot of honking. 
Had it not been for that sign on

192
00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:43,240
the road, I would have never had
that temptation to honk. 

193
00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:46,040
But by focusing on that sign and
wondering what it would sound 

194
00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,440
like to honk in the tunnel, I 
became discontent just driving 

195
00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,360
through the tunnel normally 
without honking. 

196
00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,800
And that's a threat we face in 
many areas of our lives. 

197
00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,240
While honking in a tunnel may be
of little consequence, focusing 

198
00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,160
on our neighbors, new cars and 
big house, for example, may be 

199
00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,200
more serious. 
By focusing on material items, 

200
00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,800
we can become hyper focused on 
making more money or leveraging 

201
00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,040
large amounts of debt just to 
appear wealthy. 

202
00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,920
We can find many examples in the
Bible that this will not bring 

203
00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,560
true contentment. 
Paul writing to Timothy and 

204
00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:19,040
first Timothy 66 writes. 
But godliness with contentment 

205
00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,880
is great gain. 
For we brought nothing into the 

206
00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,520
world and can take and cannot 
take anything out of the world. 

207
00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,280
But if we have food and clothing
with these, we will be content. 

208
00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,120
But those who desire to be rich 
fall into a temptation, into a 

209
00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,280
snare, into many senseless and 
harmful desires that plunge 

210
00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,200
people into ruin and 
destruction. 

211
00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,440
Paul isn't saying that wealth is
a sin. 

212
00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:44,920
But those that desire to be rich
fall into temptation which can 

213
00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,880
lead to sin. 
Paul says that godliness with 

214
00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,040
contentment is great gain. 
So in our Christian walk we 

215
00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,280
should focus on godliness rather
than the temptations of the 

216
00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,520
wicked on our walk. 
As believers, we also need to 

217
00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:00,920
remain mindful of the dangers, 
the danger of only focusing on 

218
00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,480
us, the danger of causing others
to stumble, and the danger of 

219
00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,800
unrepentant sin. 
Being self focused is dangerous 

220
00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,560
because it leads to self pity. 
Asaph laments in verse 13. 

221
00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,560
All in vain have I kept my heart
clean and washed my hands in 

222
00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:17,960
innocence. 
He's saying that if the previous

223
00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,960
verses are right and that only 
the wicked prosper with no 

224
00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,960
hardship, then it has been 
worthless for him to practice 

225
00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,680
faithfulness. 
ASA felt like the life of the 

226
00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:29,560
ungodly was much easier than the
life of the faithful. 

227
00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,600
But this thinking is dangerous, 
as it can cause others in the 

228
00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,680
faith to stumble. 
We see a shift in his thinking 

229
00:11:35,680 --> 00:11:38,840
in verse 15. 
If I had said this, I will speak

230
00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:40,640
thus. 
I would have betrayed the 

231
00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:44,200
generation of your children. 
In other words, if he acted on 

232
00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,720
those thoughts, he could 
undermine the faith of younger 

233
00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,280
believers. 
It's difficult to avoid these 

234
00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,840
thoughts, but what we do as a 
response to them is of greater 

235
00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,960
importance, Asaph writes. 
He tried to understand it by 

236
00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,120
himself, but he wasn't able to 
until he went into the sanctuary

237
00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,080
of God. 
Similarly, until we go into the 

238
00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:04,400
Word of God, reading it, 
studying it, praying through it,

239
00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,440
and talking to others about it, 
we will not see the dangers. 

240
00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,000
The danger of unrepentant sin is
the worst of all, Asaph, again 

241
00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,960
in verses 18 to 19, writes. 
Truly, you set them in slippery 

242
00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:16,920
places. 
You make them fall to ruin. 

243
00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:18,960
How? 
They're destroyed in a moment, 

244
00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:23,040
swept away utterly by terrors. 
The end result of the wicked is 

245
00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,200
not a lavish life and no 
troubles. 

246
00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,280
Instead, it's a place of ruin 
and destruction. 

247
00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,880
That ruin may or may not happen 
here in this life, but without a

248
00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,320
belief in God and repentance, it
is guaranteed in eternity. 

249
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,440
As Paul wrote to Timothy, we 
brought nothing into this world 

250
00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:40,000
and we will take nothing out of 
the world. 

251
00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:42,680
We can see the impact of not 
remaining mindful of these 

252
00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:44,440
dangers and the story of Adam 
and Eve. 

253
00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,080
They were told by God that they 
could eat from all the trees in 

254
00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,880
the garden except one, Genesis 
216 to 17. 

255
00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,400
And the Lord commanded the man, 
saying, You may surely eat of 

256
00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,520
every tree of the garden, but of
the tree of the knowledge of 

257
00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,480
good and evil you shall not eat,
for in the day that you eat it, 

258
00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:03,480
you shall surely die. 
They were warned of the dangers 

259
00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,120
ahead, but ultimately they 
didn't remain mindful of them 

260
00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,280
because Adam and Eve both focus 
on themselves and what they 

261
00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,480
would gain from eating the fruit
that caused all of mankind to 

262
00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,440
stumble. 
And the death and the danger of 

263
00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,480
death entered the world. 
Sin and death entered the world 

264
00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:20,680
through disobedience and man has
been disobedient to God ever 

265
00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:23,280
since. 
And because of our disobedience,

266
00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,960
not merely the the disobedience 
of Adam and Eve, we too are in 

267
00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,960
danger of death. 
If we are not in Christ by 

268
00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,840
ourselves, we still face the 
same dangers of self focused, 

269
00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,080
causing others to stumble and 
death from unrepentant sin. 

270
00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,120
And it is only through Jesus and
His work on the cross that we 

271
00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,200
can avoid these. 
Focusing inwardly leaves us 

272
00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:45,760
blind to the outside world. 
There are believers all around 

273
00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,760
us in our daily life, and if we 
only focus on their supposed 

274
00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,960
prosperity, we will not see, or 
worse, not care about the 

275
00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:54,720
dangers that lie in store for 
them. 

276
00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,400
As believers, we need to read 
what the Bible says about those 

277
00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,920
who are separate from Christ and
warn them of the danger to come.

278
00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,160
It is our duty to share the 
gospel with them. 

279
00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,760
If we find our contentment in 
Christ, we will naturally want 

280
00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,360
to share that with others. 
In doing so, we'll set an 

281
00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,360
example for those younger in the
faith and encourage them to do 

282
00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,280
likewise. 
We cannot do this by ourselves, 

283
00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,080
though. 
As mountain climbers, we'll take

284
00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,600
refuge near big rocks. 
As believers, we seek refuge in 

285
00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,720
God, the Rock of Ages. 
As we seek refuge in God, we see

286
00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,240
that God is our sustainer, our 
strength, and our Savior. 

287
00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,360
Asaph turns his thoughts to 
thankfulness for God for 

288
00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,280
sustaining him. 
Nevertheless, I am continually 

289
00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,520
with you. 
You hold my right hand, You 

290
00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,520
guide me with your counsel, and 
afterward you will receive me to

291
00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,960
glory. 
Whom have I in heaven but you? 

292
00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,880
And there is nothing on earth 
that I desire besides you. 

293
00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,840
Asaph is thankful that although 
he had almost stumbled, God was 

294
00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,480
there to to sustain him and hold
his right hand like a good 

295
00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,680
Father. 
God sustains and holds us as 

296
00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,120
well. 
We do not hold God up, but He 

297
00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,000
holds us. 
Asaph valued this so much that 

298
00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,040
he says nothing on nothing else 
on earth is of greater worth 

299
00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,320
than God. 
And as I've heard Pastor Jake 

300
00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:12,080
preach, everything minus God 
equals nothing, but nothing plus

301
00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:16,160
God equals everything. 
God is our sustainer and God is 

302
00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:19,560
also our strength. 
Verse 26 the Psalmist writes, my

303
00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,120
flesh and my heart may fail, but
God is the strength of my heart 

304
00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,680
and my portion forever. 
As fallen creatures we are 

305
00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,400
destined for ailments, sickness,
and physical death. 

306
00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,640
Asaph acknowledges the fact that
on earth his body might fail 

307
00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,160
him, but his true strength comes
from God. 

308
00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:39,120
What joy, what great contentment
to be able to say that come what

309
00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,840
may, my strength isn't found in 
my money and my job or in 

310
00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,040
myself, but my strength is in 
God. 

311
00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,640
And to not worry about the 
temporary prosperity of the 

312
00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,000
wicked. 
But to say, as Asaph does in his

313
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,520
final verse, But for me it is 
good to be near God. 

314
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,000
I have made the Lord God my 
refuge, that I may tell of all 

315
00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,520
your works. 
God is our Savior. 

316
00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,720
It is good to be near Him. 
By seeking refuge in God, we are

317
00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,640
sustained and strengthened to 
tell all people about our 

318
00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,000
Savior. 
Our response then to God should 

319
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,000
be 1 of praise and Thanksgiving.
If we find contentment in Him, 

320
00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,920
we cannot help but be thankful 
and share that with others. 

321
00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,120
Jesus says in Matthew 12 that 
out of the abundance of the 

322
00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,440
heart the mouth speaks. 
When we speak then do others 

323
00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:25,960
hear thankfulness and 
contentment, or that do they 

324
00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,760
hear complaining and gossip? 
Complaining is contagious and 

325
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,040
misery likes company, but 
thankfulness encourages and 

326
00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:35,800
builds up. 
Gossiping is enslaving, but 

327
00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,120
contentment in God is freeing. 
I was speaking with a friend a 

328
00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,320
few weeks ago and he reminded me
of the story of Horatio 

329
00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,160
Spafford. 
Horatio was a famous lawyer and 

330
00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,520
businessman in Chicago in the 
1870s. 

331
00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,760
He was a devout Christian and 
close friend of the prominent 

332
00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,120
evangelist DL Moody. 
Life seemed to be pretty good 

333
00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,720
for Horatio, but it took a 
tragic turn when the Great 

334
00:16:57,720 --> 00:16:59,720
Chicago Fire devastated the 
city. 

335
00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,920
Because he had much of his 
investments in real estate, most

336
00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:04,839
of his wealth was destroyed by 
the fire. 

337
00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,440
A short time after the financial
disaster, Horatio and his wife 

338
00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,200
suffered another heartbreaking 
loss when their only son died at

339
00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,119
the age of four from scarlet 
fever. 

340
00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,560
But despite these tragedies, 
Horatio's fate, Horatio's faith 

341
00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,839
remains strong and along with 
his family, they continued their

342
00:17:21,839 --> 00:17:25,359
charitable work. 
In 1873, two years after the 

343
00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,480
fire, Horatio decided to take 
his wife and four daughters on a

344
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,680
trip to Europe, where they had 
planned to assist Moody with his

345
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,920
Evangel evangelistic work. 
But business obligations arose 

346
00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,760
and Horatio decided to send his 
family ahead on a steamship. 

347
00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:41,960
While crossing the Atlantic 
Ocean, the ship crashed into 

348
00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:43,960
another ship and sank very 
quickly. 

349
00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:49,040
All four of Horatio's daughters 
died that day, alongside 222 

350
00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,520
other people. 
His wife was one of the few 

351
00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,240
survivors and knowing that 
Horatio would hear the news on 

352
00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,840
the sunken ship, sent a telegram
from England that simply read 

353
00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,680
Saved Alone. 
Overwhelmed by with the news, 

354
00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,880
Horatio sailed to England to 
join his wife. 

355
00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,080
While crossing the Atlantic near
the area where the shipwreck had

356
00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:10,120
happened, Horatio was inspired 
to write the words to the now 

357
00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:12,680
popular hymn, It Is Well with My
Soul. 

358
00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:17,440
The hymn shows his unwavering 
trust and God's sovereignty even

359
00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:21,480
during such sorrow and pain. 
The opening verse of the that 

360
00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,600
Horatio wrote reads like this. 
When peace like a river 

361
00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,560
attendeth my way, When sorrows 
like sea billows roll, whatever 

362
00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,600
my lot thou has taught me to 
say, it is well. 

363
00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:37,200
It is well with my soul. 
In the darkest moments of his 

364
00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,320
life, Horatio sought comfort in 
the Lord and found contentment 

365
00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,560
in him. 
It would have been easy and 

366
00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,400
frankly, no one would have 
questioned if he had solely 

367
00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:46,840
focused on his losses. 
He could have looked at the 

368
00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,320
unbelievers that survived and 
been angry at God for allowing 

369
00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,160
his daughters to die. 
But while there was undoubtedly 

370
00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,360
much grieving, Horatio decided 
to keep his focus on God. 

371
00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,600
He focused less on himself and 
continued to serve the poor and 

372
00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,240
suffering. 
In that moment of deep loss, 

373
00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,200
Horatio took refuge in God, 
knowing that it was God who 

374
00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,320
would sustain him, strengthen 
him, and ultimately save him. 

375
00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,440
When sorrows like sea billows 
roll in our own life, can we say

376
00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,440
it is well with our souls? 
Do we have the courage to say 

377
00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,840
whatever my lot, it is well with
my soul? 

378
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,240
The only way that we can truly 
say those words is if we find 

379
00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,760
our contentment in God. 
The second verse of the song 

380
00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,760
reads. 
Though Satan should buffet, the 

381
00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,320
trial should come. 
Let this blessed assurance 

382
00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,000
control that Christ hath 
regarded my helpless estate and 

383
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,000
hath shed his own blood for my 
soul. 

384
00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,560
If we believe in the Lord Jesus 
and put our trust in Him, we can

385
00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,480
have the assurance that our 
souls have been saved. 

386
00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,480
It can be well with our soul 
because our soul rests safely in

387
00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:50,080
the arms of our Savior. 
We can strive on by focusing on 

388
00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,120
the path ahead, remaining 
mindful of the dangers and 

389
00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:57,360
seeking refuge and seeking our 
refuge and God so that we can 

390
00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:00,360
join in with the psalmist and 
say, my flesh and my heart may 

391
00:20:00,360 --> 00:20:04,240
fail, but God is the strength of
my heart and my portion forever.

392
00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,200
I'll close with a benediction 
from Jude chapter one, verse 24 

393
00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:14,120
to 25. 
Let's pray now to Him who is 

394
00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:17,280
able to keep you from stumbling.
And to present you blameless 

395
00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,080
before His presence, before the 
presence of His glory, with 

396
00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:24,280
great joy to the only God our 
Saviour, through Jesus Christ 

397
00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:28,160
our Lord, be glory, majesty, 
dominion and authority before 

398
00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,960
all time and now and forever. 
Amen.

