The Downward Pull of Jealousy and Disappointment

Tonight the title is The Downward Pull of Jealousy and Disappointment. The Downward Pull of Jealousy and Disappointment. Jealousy is tough, isn't it? I don't know about you, but many of us get jealous because we see something that others have, and especially social media has made it 10 times worse, because everybody's got this great life on Instagram.

But you don't see the bad things in life as well. And I think I told you I was watching a documentary where they showed like 20 of the top influencers. I don't know if they were in the top 100 or something, but all these girls, you know, doing videos of their clothing or making this, and just this excited life, and they're trying to get followers.

And really what it was is like a sweatshop in Thailand or something, where they had all these little rooms, and they worked the girls just like a job. But they would come in and they would film, they'd have a studio set up, a different studio in every room. And so they were, we wanted, many girls wanted that life, but they didn't know behind the cameras that it's something completely different.

And it will lead to disappointment. It's part of our fallen nature to always want what others have. Envy, jealousy.

It's actually one of the Ten Commandments is what? Do not covet. Covet means, oh, I've got to have that, and we'll get it at any expense. My utmost for His Highest, June 15th.

We have all had those times when there's no apparent thrill to life. I read this before, but I want to remind you again tonight, where we experience nothing but the daily routine and its common everyday tasks. Have you been there? Many moms know this, especially right after having kids.

They call it postpartum, or they get into this rut, and you know, I'm just a housewife. I'm going through the day-to-day, and they don't realize how special that actually is, to raise kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord. More important than a top CEO, who is not raising a family.

He's not doing anything for the Lord. But don't always expect God to give you His thrilling moments, but learn to live in those common times of the drudgery of life by the power of God. And we all have different experiences.

For this, how this hits home to me is, throughout what I've been speaking now, probably 20-22 years, I used to travel and speak at different churches, men's conferences. I would fill in for pastors. So I got to experience a lot of different types of, I remember a 150-year-old Baptist church.

I think it was Montana, and just the brick, you know, the red brick and the hymns, and just suit and tie, and it was a whole different atmosphere. But people were inspired by the truth. Then I go into, you know, charismatic churches, and they've got banners, you know, up at the front, and the banners and singing, and people are just praising the Lord.

And it's just, all of them, though, had the passion for Jesus. No matter where I went, they just expressed it differently. But my point in this is, sometimes, and I would actually, just to confess, is I would want to take some speaking engagements, wanting that high from God that I got last week or last month.

And I don't mean like a weird high, but there's times where, you know, it's hard to explain to people because they think you're weird, but when the presence of God is so powerful, it literally touches your heart, and you feel, oh God, and there's just something special about that moment. One time I'll never forget, and I want to pass by there if I'm ever out that way, Yucca Valley. Have you ever been out that way? Very far.

Well, they said what I would do is, I was part of Calvary Chapel, and whenever a pastor was out, whether it's North Edwards to Hatchipee, Yucca Valley, I would go and fill in for that pastor. And so I drove out to Yucca Valley, and I got to the hotel late, and I made the mistake of drinking a lot of black tea on the way out there, and so, because I wanted to stay up, because I had to leave late, and I'm on a strip where there's race car race, there's the racing race cars till two in the morning. And so the sleep, it's three, four, five.

They got me at six in the morning. I'm just dragging. I get there, and I'm like, Lord, you're gonna have to help me here.

And come to find out, there's about 12 people there. So it's this little Calvary Chapel in Yucca Valley, and just like this, just this right here, this row, no bigger, and I'm just down on the floor. But when I got out of the car, and I said, Lord, I'm so tired.

I need your strength. Please, God, help me today. As I'm walking, I hear the worship practice, and something just comes upon me.

Like I start crying on the way to the front door. I don't care if there's two people there. I don't care.

I've been sent by God to give this message, and the burden is welling up, and I could have stayed there for hours, and I was preaching, and this guy got on his knees while I was preaching, began weeping and repenting, and it was just a powerful move of God. And so you're always going, you know, looking for those things. And that's why people travel to churches a lot of times.

They'll go here. They'll go there. They'll drive here.

They'll drive there up Northern California, Southern California, and they're looking for that experience, which isn't bad. But the key to remember is even when we don't, feel those moments. There's been times here.

Yvette, you'll probably remember if you were there, and my wife, but we were at two services on Saturday in Lancaster, and I literally couldn't go. I couldn't go up to preach. Ronnie, who led worship, was leading, and his sister, and it was almost like, wait, I don't want to explain it, but wait, drawing you down to your knees at the altar, and I just, and this came up, guys, I can't preach.

We just got to continue in worship, and we just went on for about three hours. It started, service started at four in the afternoon, and then we didn't go into the 530 service, and I think we ended around seven, and just wanting, okay, next weekend, next, I can't wait to get to next Saturday, and next Saturday was like painful. It was, man, it was, ah, I don't even feel much speaking.

You know, people worship, they seem, it's just like, so learning to just finish strong no matter what, and God tests us sometimes. We're not always going after that spiritual high, but we're, we're in the, we're, we're just, it's like a, I think I actually borrowed a quote that I read this morning. I'll try to get to it if I can, but it's like setting out on course regardless of the storm, and so it's so important for us.

Oh, here it is right here. Pay as little attention to discouragement as possible. Plow ahead as a steamer does, rough or smooth, rain or shine.

To carry your cargo and make your port is the point, and so I began to realize what also was interesting is some of the times where, you know, it was, it was hard to get through the service. I didn't feel much, not that you should feel things, but you know, it's nice, isn't it? It's nice to feel, especially, I know some people haven't experienced, so it's hard to explain, but it's, it's nice to feel like I can't wait to get up there, like I'm pregnant with the Word of God, and it's just, and you feel this joy, and you feel, but sometimes, a lot, most of the time, actually, it's kind of difficult because there's things going on, issues at the church, car problems, sound problems, media problems, worship problems, my problems, right? All kinds of things going on, but it, and at the end of the day, you know, it's done. I'm done, but the feedback from people is often greater than when I feel something.

It's like, Lord, what? Like, man, you don't know how that message changed me today. I needed to hear that, and I'm like, well, I need to feel it, right? I want, so you realize that no matter what, it's the truth that is changing the heart. It's the truth that is penetrating, and as long as I'm remaining faithful, and God will begin to test us.

Are you going to do what is right no matter how you feel? And so we left off at Psalm 72. With that as the backdrop, summed up, Psalm 72, it talks about God bringing His justice, and that His name will endure forever. You can count on that.

All the kings of that day. Putin just met with North Korea, but they have not yet met the one true and living God, and when they do, He will shake the nations. All the nations will serve Him, and that's why, guys, it's so important to bury your face in God's Word, because this renews your mind.

This changes you. As things are getting negative and dark, you remember, oh yeah, that's right. All the kings will fall down before Him.

They will cry like little babies. No army can defeat Him. No government can overthrow God.

Think about that. You take all seven billion people on the earth, all the nuclear arsenal. What can you do to God? You just go, that's it, and remembering and encouraging yourself.

And then what happens after that is we get into Psalm 73, and they actually call it Book 3. Theologians are divided. They're not sure why, but the Psalms is actually divided up into Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, and Book 5. It's like they categorize it, but it doesn't flow real well because Asaph or David or the musicians, they're all throughout the different books of Psalms. But I want to look at some of those books right now, and then I'll pick up the next time I speak on a Wednesday.

Truly God, let this penetrate your heart. Now I'm getting a little encouraged, because I remember this is the Word of God. You have a Creator that has spoken.

You have a Creator that will speak to you. He will reveal things to you through His Word. This is the words of the living God.

More important than the sun coming up. And so He reminds us, truly God is good to Israel. He's good to those who are pure in heart.

What a great reminder of purity. Oh, if we could get the church seeking purity again, and the fear of the Lord. We need that in the churches.

We've lost it. I don't know if you've seen in the news, but a couple of the mega church pastors that have recently fallen, and I've had to take them off the radio network this week, and it's been painful. Painful, but we're reminded that the pure in heart, the pure in heart, and the fear of the Lord, they go together.

We've got to focus on those things. But as for me, see here's what's interesting, truly God is good, and He will conquer kings and all these different things. But for me, my feet almost stumbled.

I almost fell. My steps, I nearly slipped. Why? Why did He almost fall? Because He was envious.

Jealousy and envious. He was envious of the boastful. When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Christians, we've got to really watch this in our hearts too. Be careful who we watch on social media, who we follow, who speaks into our lives, and becoming envious, envious. It's funny, envious of the boastful.

What are the boastful? The proud, the self-asserting, the arrogant. They're so boastful. Doesn't it make you sick sometimes? But you see them boasting, and they're like, but I want that lifestyle.

Look at that house, look at that hundred million, worth a hundred million, and they're wicked. Why does the wicked prosper? Well, remember the enemy's also on their side, and he can also open doors. And there's things I won't get into now unless I had more information.

But being an hour from Hollywood, and people come here from the industry, film industry and different things, there is a demonic undertow there that is very evident. And there are times, I'm not going to get into conspiracy theories, I'm not going to get way out there, but where you basically make a pact with the devil. There's cliques, and there's clubs, and if you do certain things, it's coming out with diddy combs and other people, and there's this type of, if you do this, we'll promote you.

And they get record deals. And the enemy can also promote. And what happens is, if we're not careful, we can become envious.

And the envy is because we see their prosperity. And we think the prosperity will answer our problems as well. Now, money's nice.

Money's actually not bad. It's the love of money. So when I love it, it becomes my God, and I chase it.

I pursue it, and I compromise as well. And so, bringing that back in, jealousy and envy eat away at you, and they lead to disappointment. That's the tie-in.

Because if I'm jealous of something, and I want something, it can lead to disappointment. And we all get jealous of different things, right? For me, for you, different things. I remember one time, how many of you have heard of Jack Graham at Presswood Baptist in Dallas, Texas? He's on their radio network as well.

And I visited that church, and my goodness, the cafeteria seats 800. I went to lunch with him and his wife, and we had chefs. So after the service, there's like four chefs making all this gourmet food.

The bookstore looks like a miniature Barnes & Noble. It's just amazing. His office was probably half the size of this, from like here to there.

You know, and oak, this, and the Texas, you know, a lot of wealth there. And I thought it was pretty cool, but I can see how, you say, well, man, I must not be doing as much for God. And you start to, gosh, that would really be nice.

But I know the back end of it, and that brings a lot more headaches. More levels, more devils. That's what they say.

And then right after that, I think the next day, I actually visited Gateway, that's in the news right now, with their pastor. And just incredible. Just their children's ministry was probably the size of our whole campus.

You just walk in, the kids, all the decorations, and the dinosaurs, and it's just like you're walking into this enormous, you know, $50 million complex. And so that's what I'm saying, though, all of us are going to have things that struggle with discontent. Luckily, I flew home, I was very content, because you have to realize that where God puts you is where He wants you.

And remaining faithful is the calling. Remaining very faithful. A lot of people don't know this, but A.W. Tozer, how many of you have heard of him or read his books? His church was under 400 people.

He was very faithful. And Leonard Ravenhill would travel many times to small prayer gatherings of 10 or 12 people, 15 people, 20 people. They'd drive three hours.

It's just being faithful in what God calls you to do. And that's the cure for jealousy, because like the Lord, you put me here you gave me this. I just needed to be faithful with what you did.

And you can't get discouraged with that. Why? Lord, it's your bill. If it's your will, it's your bill, right? So you don't worry about finances.

And I hate to pay the rent on some of those places. Wow, right? There's a big church in Lancaster. Many years ago, I found out that the rent's $80,000 a month.

I said, we have no rent here. We paid it off. So I'll stick with that.

I mean, can you imagine the push to try to get finances? And so that kills you. That stresses you out. So just where God puts you and places you, there's like a, I want to use the word carefully, but there's an anointing on that.

There's a grace on that. If you're walking in what he's called you to do, there's a grace that goes with that. And he guides you and he will promote.

He will thank God for those who he promotes and become very wealthy or major, run big companies. I wish there were more of them, don't you? Hobby Lobby? Yeah, that's a good example too. Hobby Lobby.

You know, Christian business owners and we need more people that can do things like that. Emotional and mental sickness also come from jealousy and envy. Have you ever heard the green-eyed monster? It comes from, I'm sick with em.

Actually, I think probably from Shakespeare. Shakespeare, not Romeo and Juliet, one of his other plays, the green-eyed monster. He talked about, I still remember that out, out, brief candle life is, but a walking shadow, a poor player that stretches out upon the stages hurt no more.

I had to learn Shakespeare when I was younger and I can't get it out of my mind. It's harder to learn scripture, but you can't get, I can't get Metallica lyrics out of my mind and I can't get Shakespeare out of my mind. Right? There's something to that, that programming.

You got to reprogram. You got to reprogram your mind, but it can lead to mental and emotional sickness. People actually become sick with envy and jealousy because we've seen it.

You've seen it before, maybe in your own life, but again, not to put too much back on Instagram or TikTok, but you're watching these things. I remember me and my wife, we talked about, look, everybody's on vacation. Everybody's in Hawaii.

Everybody's by the pool. Everybody has, it's like, you know, you're seeing all this stuff that like, well, we're just stuck at home and you get sick with envy, emotional, mental sickness. Dictionary.com says this about envy versus jealousy.

Simply feeling upset that you don't have what someone else does and wishing you were in their position is usually considered envy. Okay. So it's like a little discontent.

Well, here's jealousy. It's a feeling of inner resentment and outward hostility that sometimes results from jealousy. Think of Saul with David, Saul with David, that outward hostility.

And you know, those people, maybe you've had people that are jealous of you, where you live, your marriage and they, you're just, man, they are mean spirited. There's outwardly, they're trying to get you. But also on this point of jealousy, it's good because my kids asked me this question.

Well, the Bible says God is a jealous God. Well, there's good and bad jealousy, right? I mean, husbands, you should be jealous if your wife is talking to somebody else in a wrong way or vice versa, right? There's a good jealousy. What about if we were like, I don't care.

Remember that show on TV, Wife Swap, where there's a bunch of garbage. My goodness. I preach against that too, back in Lancaster.

But who cares? No, so you have to have some type of governing system that where your emotions you feel for someone my love for them, my relationship with them is so strong that I don't want anything ruining that. And so that's why it says God is a jealous God. And I remember Oprah Winfrey, there's a clip saying she can't believe in Christianity or worship that God because he's a jealous God.

Well, she didn't understand. Just read the Bible. He has a longing for his people.

So when his people cheat on him spiritually, his jealousy is aroused. That's a good jealousy. Is there good envy? Well, if it inspires us, it can be a good tool to motivate us.

For example, when you see somebody, man, I'm envious in a good way. Like we need to do more. That really, I spoke, I think two Sundays ago about Lancaster Baptist and Peter over at New Life and Palmdale.

He's a friend of mine, man. They're out knocking on doors. They're in the parks.

They're out. They're out picking out, picking, handing out tracks. They handed out me tracks at the, at our church picnic.

And I'm like, like, we should be like kind of envious, but like we should be doing that. That's really cool. And so it spurs you to do something like Paul even said, stir up your, your gifting.

And, and, and, and, and so something can be used. It depends what you do with them. If you're like, man, Lord, that's cool.

I need to do that. I need to step up my game. And it motivates you.

Then that's a different type. I don't even know if I call it envy. I would call it inspired.

And then Psalm 74. Oh God, why have you cast this off forever? Ever feel that way? Oh God, here's, this happens when prayers aren't being answered and life is out of control. And, um, there's no orders from headquarters and you're just going through life.

And have you ever had one thing after another, the washing machine breaks, there's water on the floor, go out. Now there's a flat tire. Then the IRS letter comes in the mail.

I've lived it. And it's like Lord, and then the opposite is happening. And so you feel that way.

God, why have you cast this off forever? Dealing with disappointment in the will of God, you will deal with disappointment in the will of God. Here's why God's will isn't often my will. My will is the path of least resistance.

My will is what's going to make me happy. My will is how I can get the most sleep, eat the most food and relax and do the least amount of work in the shortest amount of time. Right? That's, that's kind of the will, not the good, the good, the Holy Spirit side of you, but the, you know, the fleshly side, but sometimes, and then the God's will is, is often the opposite.

So there's disappointment in God's will. He's wanting us to, um, go a certain direction and we don't want to. So kind of this kind of movement, many of you know, I think Levy posts on Facebook, Levy, who moved to Vermont, his wife, her like really tore her Achilles heel, both of them.

And, uh, but they missed their flight and then they end up on a flight where they're actually able to lead somewhere to the Lord. It's like, Whoa, talk about that was not on my schedule. And so disappointment, just remember you're in the will of God, as long as there's a, you know, you're doing something wrong and, and besetting sin and, and things like that.

But you can deal with that disappointment. Delay is not deny. You're not being, if God's delay is not you being denied.

Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's nope. But delay I've noticed over the years, sometimes God delaying things is not denying them.

It's just not, not the right timing yet. How many of you can say amen to the fact that you're glad he didn't answer your first prayer about who you wanted to marry? Man. And living here all my life, I ran to people that I knew in high school.

I'm like, Oh, thank the Lord. Thank the Lord. No, I mean, just mainly because we don't agree on anything.

Spiritually, they're not in a good spot. And just the brokenness you see from not following the Lord and delay is not God being unloving. So disappointments when they come, remember God is not unloving.

His, Him waiting on his timetable is actually very loving because we know we would rush ahead. And you've got the kids that want to rush ahead. And you know, it's going to be very dangerous.

My daughter wants to rush ahead and jump in the pool without the floaty thing that keeps her head up. And I said, no, not right now. You got to put that on.

And she cried. I'm not being unloving. It's very loving.

And God has the bigger picture. And then Psalm 75, we give thanks to you. Oh, he switched his mind.

We give thanks to you. Oh God, we give thanks. So make sure the attitude shift takes place back to God.

So once you're getting negative, once you're disappointed, Oh God, don't cast us off forever. Lord, what's going on in my life? Get back to a place from that brokenness after you've cried out that now you can give thanks to God. You, you, you give thanks back to him.

And then verse six and seven reminds us that promotion comes from God alone. He raises one up and he puts another one down. So again, this ties in with disappointment, jealousy, and envy.

We see this a lot in the workplace. How many people get I've talked to a lot of people here. They are not happy with somebody else getting promoted above them.

Or they're not happy for this business taking off and theirs is not. But we have to remember promotion for a believer comes from God. He raises up and he and he puts others down.

Some of the best things he can do is let you go through the process slowly, slowly building up that strength. Psalm 76 and 77, fear God and turn to him, fear God and turn to him. So that whole Psalm from 76 to 77 is about fearing God and turning to him.

Asaph cried out to God and sought God on the day of his trouble. And he said, will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favorable no more? Well, he's having a bad day. Has God's mercy ceased? Has his promises fell forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? What's so interesting about this is this is in the Bible.

I mean, it's one thing to feel this way. It's another thing to say it. It's another thing to put it in the Bible.

But it shows how that's what I love about the Bible. It shows how real human nature is and and how God lets people process it and deal with these things. God's distance should draw you closer to him.

God's distance should draw you closer to him. And I said, and I said, this is my anguish. This is my anguish.

But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. In other words, I'm in anguish. This is a difficult time, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high.

Now in the Hebrew culture, that made perfect sense because they would look at the right hand of God being the position of strength and authority. Remember the verse I love to quote, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And though he falls, he will not be utterly cast down, because what does the Lord do? He upholds him.

He pulls him up by his right hand. And Jesus sits on the left hand or the right hand of the Father? The right hand. So what it means here is that the position of strength.

I will remember the works of the Lord. See, he's telling his mind to go back. I will remember the works of the Lord.

Yes, I'm going through hell. Yes, life is challenging. Yes, it's confusing.

But I will remember the works of the Lord. That's why I almost got goosebumps during that one song we sang, Richard. What is that one? Like the fourth one about how he's gracious and loving.

And over the years, he's watched over me. He's always been there for me. He's guided me.

The goodness of God. Just think about the goodness of God. And I'm so glad that song, because that song took me back.

I don't know, but that song took me back. I should be dead. I shouldn't be here preaching.

Oh my goodness, if he would have given up on me in my 20s. What about Richard? He would have left you in jail? I should have been in jail. Right? We all, we all, oh, if it wasn't for the, thank God, your goodness.

And that should actually draw you to the altar. How can we be bored during worship? How can we be disengaged? How can we think when we think about the goodness of God, all that he's, he's brought us through, where he's brought us through today. And as you get older, you're going to appreciate this even more.

How did I survive that car accident with no, no seatbelt and my truck rolled and flipped over? I still drive by the place. I'm like 30th East and K no seatbelt. And the truck's over and I'm rolling up the window and crawl out.

How many times did I mock God? No, I shouldn't go to this place and still went to that place and party till two in the morning. Don't even know how I got home. Oh, if it wasn't for the goodness of God.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. You know what? Although, although we struggle with it, that would remove a judgmental spirit really, really easily.

Cause I had somebody ask me, how, how come you don't, you know, how come you can have grace with people and don't get so frustrated when they don't listen? Like, well, cause that's me sometimes. Right? So it's, it's grace. It's, it's, you can't be judgmental when you realize how much God has done for you.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. Even in his anguish, he adjusted his attitude. I will remember the wonders you did.

And so even in the anguish that you're going through, you can adjust your attitude. And I can't go into details, but I've talked to families that have went through just excruciating pain that that's just beyond, you know, comprehension and Lord, why does this happen? But if you, if that anguish forces you to the cross, if that brokenness leads you to a deeper relationship with God, you'll have something special that most people don't have because literally that God, the father has held you together, has held your family together, has saw you through the darkest times. And you have something so precious that very few can understand and very few can relate to.

And so, yes, the pain stinks that the, what we went through is terrible and I would never wish it on. But if you can use that, what the enemy is wanting to be a stumbling block. So you fall, God makes it a stepping stone to the cross.

It's amazing. The deeper that relationship, the deeper the pain, the deeper the relationship. Often, obviously there's exceptions.

You know, I know people who've lived a really good life, not lots of pain, and they have a really deep relationship with God. But often those who, I mean, look at Elizabeth Elliot. Her husband decided to fly a plane and minister to some cannibals.

Well, you know how that turned out, right? So Nate, I think was one of his friends, lost his life as well. It's an incredible documentary. I read, I'll read, I don't remember Adonai Jetson, Hudson Taylor.

It's like, they buried their kids on the mission field in Africa. Like they would lose their two-year-old to whatever it was, and they would bury them in Africa. And they would stay there as missionaries.

And that's where all these devotional books come from, guys. That's where this deeper life comes from. The deeper life comes from the wells that God digs deep in your heart.

Where there's pain, there's great passion for God. So I love that verse. Those who have been forgiven much, love much.

That's why I can be around ex-convicts and ex-addicts all day long because there's so much humility and brokenness. Because that's where I should have been, right? And there's a genuineness. There's not a faking or a phoniness or pride, like Paul said, associate with the humble.

Because they've been broken by God. And there's a tenderness that you can feel. And many of you remember when Russell would speak a few times and what he went through.

And just that pain can draw you to the cross, but I've also seen it turn people into very, very, very bitter mean people. There's something takes place in the mind. But there's something takes place where, Lord, this is hard, but I trust You.

I'm turning to You. And from that comes a tremendous peace in the midst of the storm. Or there's a turning and a hardness, a bitterness, a rigidness toward God.

And many people do live in that, that pain. And it's hard. It's hard to break them out of that because they're mad at God.

And so he said, I will meditate on Your work, and I will talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary.

But when he said meditation here, what is meditation? It's not, you know, this yoga or whatever those things are. Don't do that if you do yoga. Don't do it.

I tell people, do Christian stretching. Just stretch. Just stretch, you know.

You don't have to be posing to their gods. That's what it is. You know that, right? They're doing poses to their God.

So just don't go down that path. Just stretch. But it's reprogramming, it's rebooting, and it's restoring your mind.

You're meditating on God's Word. That's why it's so hard. That's why it's so hard.

Are you a late night or early morning or in the middle? Whenever that time is, isn't it hard many times? It's hard to meditate. It's not hard to watch a movie, but it's hard to meditate. And remember, blessed is the man who walks on the counsel of the ungodly.

It goes on to say, he meditates day and night on the Word of God. He brings his thoughts back to center. He grounds his thoughts.

Basically, that's what you're doing. You're grounding, just like an electrician will find a grounding. You have to ground your thoughts back in the Word of God.

They're going astray. I have to ground them back in the Word of God. They're going astray.

I have to ground them. I have to meditate day and night. As a result, he becomes like a tree planted by living water, who bears its fruit in season, because he meditates on God's Word.

And I love this verse. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary. In other words, he reveals himself.

If you're looking at the Old Testament, remember this is the Old Testament. There wasn't spirit-filled believers. There wasn't church.

There wasn't the upper room. They would meet God in the sanctuary. There's a temple, the Holy of Holies, and the sacrifices outside that.

And then there would be cherub, these angelic beings who would have their wings out. And it's said that I will meet God's presence in that place. Thank God that we don't have to do that anymore.

Thank God we can have the power and presence of God now via the power of the Holy Spirit, the filling of the Holy Spirit. But he said your way is in the sanctuary. Basically, God reveals himself in the sanctuary.

Redemption was also found there in the sanctuary. So he knew where to go. He knew where to go.

And that's why you'll see people who've never been to church or don't go to church. They know they have to get to church. They know they have to do something because that's the only place for redemption and hope is to seek God like never before.

And then Psalm 78, make known the law of God to your children. Let your kids know about the law of God. It doesn't save them, but it guides them and it can restore them.

Let me be an encouragement too, in case you think pastors have perfect kids. They're next door so I can get away with this. But we have to keep praying.

We have to keep contending. Some are just designed to be passive, seek the Lord. Others have a rebellious spirit.

I've seen families that, man, the parenting skills, I just feel sorry sometimes. But the kids are pretty amazing. And I've seen amazing parents where the kids rebel.

So number one, you can't beat yourself up. You can just do all that you can do. Leave it in God's hands.

After all, God had rebellious children too. You do all that you can do and you pray for them and you let God draw them. You can't beat them up with the Bible.

And there are just, there's just different, there's different makeups in children. And sometimes we can ride ourselves hard. You know, two of my oldest daughters, I mean, they'll, from day one, they get up, they do their homework, they get stuff done, they clean.

I mean, nothing. I don't have to tell them anything. I mean, nothing.

A couple other ones, it's like, my goodness, what in God's name is going on here? Same parent, same parenting skills, same type of discipline. But others, it's just a, it's just a disposition they're in. So don't beat yourself up.

All you can do is guide them and point them to the Word of God. And even if they're in their rebellion years right now, right now, God can use those years to draw them back to Him. And testimonies, I truly believe that.

I truly believe that parents can contend for their kids. They might not see it right away. Sometimes it takes a long time.

I know my mom, she's, she prayed for over a decade at least. And it looks like things were getting worse. That they may set their hope in God.

So eventually, as you're teaching them the Word of God, as you're showing them Christ through your own life, they will eventually set their hope in God. Once they try everything out, they will set their hope in God. And not forget the works of God, but they will keep His commandments.

They will not forget. They might drift for a while, but that's what brought me back. That's what brought me back is I remembered.

I remembered those early studies. I remember my mom's prayers. And I remember that was her anchor.

That can be mine too. In the same way that a doctor sets a bone, we must set our heart. They may set their hope.

And I had a lot of Scriptures, but I don't want to take up too much time. But the Bible talks a lot about setting your heart. Setting your sights.

We have to do something. We have to set. If something is off, if a heart is off, we have to set it right and repent.

Verse 8, and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation. He's talking about the children of Israel in the wilderness. It is a generation that what? They did not set their heart right.

So to me, we have a responsibility to set our heart. We can't ask God to necessarily do what He's called us to do. But we can pray, Lord, get my heart right.

Help me. But in the process, you're repenting. You're believing in Him.

You're meditating on His Word. Set your heart aright tonight if you need to make those changes. And that goes on to say in verse 34 and 35, this is amazing.

Basically, when God killed them, the ones that were still left, they sought Him. And they returned and they sought God earnestly. Then they remembered that God was the rock and the Most High God, the Redeemer.

I'm not going to go into this because I did last weekend, but this is where this verse comes in handy as well. Remember that we are the temple of God now. We have the Holy Spirit residing in us.

And if we defile the temple, God will destroy us. Destroy Him. But remember that word means injure.

So in other words, if we're defiling, if we're in unrepentant sin, God might injure you to get you back. He might knock you down. He might pull you down.

He might dismantle your life and to get you back. Isn't it interesting this had to happen to the prodigal son? Oh, I've got all this money. I'm heading to Vegas.

500 on black, roulette, 17. I'm doing great, having fun. And then it's all gone.

And God knocked him down. Then he's eating with the pigs. So he was defiling himself.

God injured him, knocked him down, dismantled his life, and it drew him back to God. But this group of people, they flattered Him with their mouth and they lied to Him with their tongue. But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them.

Unbelievable. And of course, I thought of Matthew 15.8, and I love the King James Version of this. This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth and they honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

Guys, be very careful of this. Or those who you associate with. So many people do what I call speak Christianese.

Oh, brother, we love you, this and that. And they're speaking, right? They're saying, oh, and I love God. Many draw nigh unto Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

In other words, it's easy to say certain things, but the heart is deceptive. The heart is away from... He was actually calling out the Pharisees, Jesus was. He said you say the right things, but your heart is still corrupt and evil.

And this would be for liberal churches, I believe. Liberal churches, I believe for cults that don't really know God. They draw nigh unto Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

They go through the motions. I can list a lot of cults right now, but I won't. Just going through the motions, they say all the right things, but their heart is far from God.

It's distant from God. And then chapter 79, there's the prayer for Israel. And they are being destroyed by their enemies.

How long, O Lord? Do you ever feel that way again? How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? God, please get these people. Kill these enemies. I say that sometimes.

God, what's going on? Our nation, wake us up. Come against our enemies in the same way. For they devoured Jacob.

It's basically saying they devoured Israel, and they've laid waste His dwelling place. Ups and downs, dealing with disappointment can be a lifelong struggle. This guy was going through the lifelong struggle.

We see David even in the Psalms. Dealing with disappointment. Guys, understand it now.

It's a lifelong struggle for many. Just because you master it one week, next month might bring more disappointment. That's why it's so important to stay focused on God.

And then chapter 80, give ear. Give ear, O shepherd of Israel. He's basically saying, God, listen.

You led Joseph like a flock. You dwell between the cherub there in the altar. They talked about shine forth.

God, please stir up your strength. Come and save us. Restore us, O God.

Cause your face to shine, and we shall be saved. Asking God to stir up His strength can stir up your faith. Isn't that just raw and honest? We spend time with God.

God, stir up your strength. In other words, God, do something. God, do something.

And as you're pleading to God, as you're being encouraged, it stirs up your faith as well, as long as your heart remains on the right path. Sing aloud to God. Sing aloud.

Make a joyful shout to God. Hey, it's okay to get loud during worship, I guess sometimes. I don't know how else you would read this.

I mean, you don't want to be loud just to be loud, but it's okay to have praise and worship. Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp and the lute. They made noise in this place worshiping God.

And the point I just want to make is worship can be warfare. Worship can be warfare. When you are worshiping, so when we close in just a minute, and Richard is there, Matthias and the violin, and you're worshiping, you are going to battle.

You are going to battle. You're praying for your prodigal sons. Maybe some of you need to come and just pray for yourself.

Lord, I've grown cold, I've grown callous, I've grown hard. And God, in your worship, and Lord, the inner demons and the external demons in the demonic realm, and Lord, we come against these things. Lord, we pray for California.

We're not giving up. We're not throwing in the towel. We know you can change our state.

We know that you can change, God, and I pray that people like Adam Schiff will be shifted towards you. I pray that the people like Pelosi would just be struck by the weight of your glory, God. And Newsom and his kids and his wife, God, would you wake them up? And I just wonder if not much is done because we don't do warfare.

This is how I fight my battles, folks. This is on your knees before God Almighty. Is there another screen or am I just going to worship? Because I'm not going to try to find these.

Oh, is that Richard's or mine? No, they're both. What's the next screen? Oh, that my people would listen to me, listen, listen, wake up, and walk in my ways. I would subdue their enemies.

I would subdue their enemies. How does obedience lead to victory? It puts the Lord on your side. Oh, I've noticed this over the years.

As I obey God, it actually puts Him on my side. It's like, here comes the Lord, Jehovah Jireh, my provider. He's following me.

He's pushing ahead of me. What's the opposite of obedience? Pride. He resists the proud, but gets behind the grace-filled and the humble.

Pride is disobedience. He resists the proud. He ignores the arrogant, and he stiffs arm the stiff neck.

God is resisting you and your pride, and we need to see that. We need to wake up to the fact. He shall die like men, even you which glisten like angels, whom all the world admires, which are called honorable, mighty, and gracious.

I will tell you what your honor shall come. First, you shall wax old. This is not the Bible.

This is a commentary right now. You shall wax old like others. Then he shall fall sick like others.

Then you shall die like others. Then you shall be buried like others. Then you shall be consumed like others, and you shall be judged like others, even like beggars, which cry at your gates, and they shall be gone as if they had never been.

In the end, the poor and the rich, the wealthy, the affluent, all of us will end up in the same spot, and you have to make sure. Do you have that genuine relationship with God? Are you on fire for God? Are you filled with the Spirit? Guys, do you want to live the rest of your life distant from God, not knowing God in the fullness of the Spirit and doing great things for God?