07 Aug Summer of Psalms | Week 6 “Don’t Freak Out” | Apollo Beach

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FINANCIAL PEACE (FPU): 9/15/22

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Key Verse: Psalm 37

Psalm 37 is the interpretation of the 3rd beatitude in Matthew chapter 5.

Matthew 5:5 (ESV)

No one really understands what it means to be meek.  In our culture meekness is completely misunderstood.  Being meek does not mean we are pushovers.  Some of God’s best heroes were meek.  Jesus, Moses (delivered the Israelites out of slavery), and David (who writes about meekness in this Psalm).  Christians are meek but not weak.

Ice-breaker:

Q. Before you really understood what meekness was as a Christian, what was your understanding of meekness?

Biblical defintion:

meekness: An attitude of HUMBLE, SUBMISSIVE, and EXPECTANT TRUST in God, and a loving, patient and gentle attitude towards others.

Meekness is not weakness it is STRENGTH under CONTROL

Proverbs 16:32

Psalm 37:5 ESV

David faced many battles.  He knew there was a secret that would get him through his life. This Psalm was written during David’s later years. No matter what we are facing God will never let us go into a place of absolute poverty.  Some of us suffer but this is a genuine principle in life that God watches over us.  There is a value system in our hearts that we embrace when we know God is with us.  We can overcome with meekness.

1. MEEKNESS arrives when we aren’t MADDENED by the EVIL in the world.

When we don’t let this world’s evil into our spirit.  Three times David says fret not:

Psalm 37:1 (ESV); Psalm 37:7 (ESV); Psalm 37:8 (ESV);

The general evil doers seem to get away with things and we just want to take them out.

Q. When do you find yourself fretting over what others do or get away with?

Psalm 37:10 (ESV); Psalm 37:13 (ESV); Psalm 37:17 (ESV)

The first eleven verses tell us what not to do, the rest from verse 12 and onward is why we do it.    We need to remember the evil in the world is short term.  It is not going to last.   We need to relax about what is getting us heated.

Meekness is having the WISDOM to lift your eyes beyond the IMMEDIATE.

If we think long term, the heat of our anger will dissipate. We should not get viciously angry at non-believers because Hell is real.  We need to have compassion. If they don’t know Christ, Hell awaits. 

Q. How have you had  compassion on a non-believer that makes you angry and what was the outcome?

OR

Q. How can you have compassion on a non-believer that makes you angry right now?

2. MEEKNESS arrives when we ACTIVELY TRUST in God.

Psalm 37:3 (ESV)

We are to trust God and do good.  Trusting in the Lord always should lead to action.  The common reality for Christians is that it is so easy for us to look at the world and complain, but God left us on this earth to contribute.  Contribute good in spite of the evil.

Q. How does this inspire you into action, to contribute good instead of complaining about the evil taking place around you (this could be in the work place, home, school or the world)?

Romans 12:21 (ESV)

We might win them if we are kind to them even if they are not kind to us.   When we turn enemies into friends, we gain more friends.  We are an agent for good.  The bottom line: God was good to us when we hated him or did not do good to him.

3. MEEKNESS arrives when we REST in God.

Psalm 37:3 (ESV). 37:7

We need to rest in the Lord.  We need to take a break and turn it off and sit in silence before the Lord.  We know we are not weak when we don’t over react.  God wants us to rest when we are worn out.  God wants us to just relax.

Matthew 11:28–29 (ESV)

Q. What specifically do you need to turn off and receive restoration for from the Lord?

4. MEEKNESS arrives when we ENJOY God.

Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

We rest and we enjoy.  We can enjoy God.  We go to church because we love the Lord and enjoy him.  Delight is referring to what we can enjoy now, desire is what we can enjoy later.  What we enjoy now is what we can enjoy later.   We are made for God and we are made to enjoy him forever.  When we enjoy him he gives us more of himself.

Q. Can you describe how God has given you more of himself as you delight in him?

Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

5. MEEKNESS arrives when we GIVE our PLANS and DREAMS to God.

Some of us are serving plans and dreams, but we make plans and God laughs. We can make plans but what gets us heated is when our plans don’t come to pass. 

Psalm 37:5 (ESV)

Commit – means to roll away.  Roll onto God all our plans.  Roll them off to him.

Q.What plans and dreams do you find it difficult to surrender to God (because you want them and you want them to work out your way)?

OR

Q. In what way has God’s plan turned out better than any plan or dream you had?

We PLAN but God MOVES.

Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV)

Sermon in a sentence:

Meekness is not WEAKNESS, it is a life RESTING in the PEACE God gives, ACTIVE in the GOOD God wants, and SURRENDERED to the PURPOSES God reveals.

SUMMER CHALLENGE: READ THROUGH THE PSALMS

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:  THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:  TAKE TIME TO ENJOY THE LORDS PRESENCE AND SEE HOW HE GIVES MORE OF HIMSELF TO YOU